‘Bad Santa 2’ Cast, Updates: Billy Bob Thornton Returns in New Adult Red Band Trailer, Teases Sequel Funnnier than Original Film

‘Bad Santa 2’ lead actor Billy Bob Thornton returns as the foul-mouthed department store Santa Claus in the sequel’s new adult red band trailer. Thornton teased that the follow-up will be funnier than the original film.

According to Variety, Broad Green Pictures and Miramax recently unveiled both a cleaned up green band version as well as an adult, expletive-ridden red band version of director Mark Waters’ upcoming black comedy film ‘Bad Santa 2’.

The trailers featured the return of Billy Bob Thornton as the film’s foul-mouthed lead protagonist Willie T. Soke, an alcoholic thief disguised as a department store Santa Claus. Tony Cox also returns as Marcus, Willie’s dwarfed partner-in-crime. The two plot to crash a charity dinner in hopes of a million-dollar heist.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Thornton expressed his enthusiasm over donning the Santa costume from the previous film. He said, “It felt like home!… Yeah, it was kind of fun to get back in the old uniform. I really enjoyed it. One difference, the other one was shot in L.A. in really bad heat. This time, we were shooting in Montreal and some nights it was 30 below. That was definitely a little challenging. So, I was happy to have the Santa Claus suit this time. Before, I couldn’t wait to get it off at the end of the day because it was so hot. This time I couldn’t wait to get it on.”

Although Thornton stayed mum on plot details, teased that the sequel was as funny and as filthy as its predecessor. He said, “People ask me, ‘Is it as humorous and filthy as the first one?’… And I say, ‘Yes, maybe a shade more.’ But, on the opposite end of that, it’s also more emotional. It’s kind of darker and a little more emotional. So, the drama is built up a little more in this one and also the filthy humor, that goes a little further too. So, you get a little more of both.”

During a separate interview at a Television Critics Association panel for his new series ‘Goliath’, Thornton revealed that the sequel will invest in emotion. According to /Film, he said, “I think we pushed it even a little further this time, not only in the sort of dark humor but also in the emotion… This one has more of a heart, more of a story you would say, but it also went a little further with some of the nasty stuff.” 

Other members of the cast include a grown-up Brett Kelly, who played the exceedingly gullible child Thurman Merman in the original film, as well as critically-acclaimed actresses Christina Hendricks, Kathy Bates, and Octavia Spencer.

‘Bad Santa 2’ is an upcoming black comedy film directed by Mark Waters and written by Doug Ellin, John Phillips, and Johnny Rosenthal. It is produced by Broad Green Pictures and Miramax. The film is intended as the sequel to the 2003 release of the same name, which earned generally positive reviews from critics.

It is scheduled to premiere on November 23, 2016.