10 Christmas Movies That Deserve a Legacy Sequel

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Many fans are hoping for another Home Alone movie featuring Kevin McCallister, and Macaulay Culkin has said he’d be interested in reprising the role. He recently told Variety that he’d prefer to do a full sequel rather than just a commercial that mimics the original film.

This made us wonder which classic Christmas movies deserve a proper sequel – one that brings back the original characters. We’ve seen too many follow-ups that just use the title without continuing the story, like the later Home Alone films without Kevin McCallister. We’re hoping for a sequel that either reunites the old cast to pass on the story or brings them back for another adventure. Here’s our list of Christmas movies we’d love to see get that kind of sequel.

10
‘Last Holiday’ (2006)


Paramount Pictures

Queen Latifah starred in the heartwarming 2006 film Last Holiday. She played a saleswoman who, after receiving a serious diagnosis, decides to live life to the fullest with a lavish Christmas vacation in Europe. While there, she finds romance with a coworker, played by LL Cool J, who she’s admired for years.

With the movie ending as Queen Latifah and LL Cool J opened their restaurant, there’s plenty of potential for a follow-up. Running a restaurant is tough, and relationships can be strained by the pressures of the business. A good sequel could focus on them finding another Christmas miracle – and rediscovering their love. But honestly, what we’d really love to see is Queen Latifah leading the story again.

9
‘The Family Stone’


20th Century Fox

The Family Stone depicts a classic and heartwarming Christmas scene: a family coming together for the holidays in New England. They’re anticipating a marriage proposal, but things get messy when old tensions and awkward conversations surface, creating emotional friction throughout the celebration.

Bringing back the cast of the Stone family – including Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Luke Wilson – would likely be very popular. While Diane Keaton won’t be returning, her absence could actually create a touching reason for the family to reconnect. It would also be interesting to see how the characters’ perspectives have changed, especially considering the family previously discussed gay marriage.

8
‘Love Actually’


Universal Pictures

Like a delightful box of chocolates at Christmas, Love Actually offers a collection of heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking romantic stories. The film follows multiple characters – played by a fantastic cast including Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister and Bill Nighy as a rock star – as they navigate love and life during the holiday season.

There’s talk of revisiting the world of Love Actually with a new sequel that would catch up with beloved characters and introduce a fresh cast. Fans are curious to see what happened to everyone, and it would be fun to see a new generation experience holiday romance. While director Richard Curtis recently made a similar Christmas film, That Christmas, it doesn’t quite recapture the magic of Love Actually. We’re hoping for more heartwarming, British-style Christmas romances with both new and familiar faces.

7
‘The Ice Harvest’ (2005)


Focus Features

If you like your holiday movies with a bit of crime and mystery, check out The Ice Harvest. This dark comedy takes place during Christmas in Wichita Falls and follows Charlie Arglist, a lawyer who works for the mob (played by John Cusack). He’s about to have a chaotic night alongside his volatile friend, Vic (Billy Bob Thornton). Between a tense Christmas dinner with his family and dealing with a murder, Charlie also has to manage vengeful gangsters and his ex-wife—who happens to be married to his very drunk friend, Oliver Platt.

As a big fan, I was really hoping to see Cusack and Platt back for another film! Even though not many characters survived, their dynamic was fantastic, and imagining them dealing with a new group of criminals on a dark Christmas night sounds amazing. Honestly, a return to that gritty, noir style during the holidays would be a perfect balance – a little bit of cynical fun to cut through all the usual sweetness. It would be a real treat!

6
‘Miracle on 34th Street’ (1994)


20th Century Fox

The movie Miracle on 34th Street playfully asks what would happen if Santa Claus truly existed and had to prove it in court. While the premise might seem unusual for a Christmas film, the original in 1947, and its 1994 remake, both proved to be hits. The heartwarming performances of Richard Attenborough as Santa and Mara Wilson as a young girl who befriends him certainly helped make the movie a classic.

Although another remake of Miracle on 34th Street might be charming, it would be more interesting to explore what happens after the events of the movie – in a world where Santa Claus is real. While Richard Attenborough is no longer with us, Mara Wilson’s character could still believe in Santa, and easily convince a new generation to do the same. It would be difficult to deny Santa’s existence after it was proven in court, though she might have to deal with misinformation and skepticism in today’s world.

5
‘Elf’ (2003)


New Line Cinema

As a huge movie fan, I absolutely adore Elf! Will Ferrell is just brilliant as Buddy, a human who was raised as an elf at the North Pole. The movie is hilarious watching him navigate the real world – specifically, New York City – after growing up surrounded by all that Christmas magic. It’s so fun seeing him try to connect with his biological dad and spread some much-needed holiday cheer with his goofy traditions – think tons of decorations, sugary treats, and epic snowball fights! It’s a genuinely heartwarming and funny film.

Thanks to its funny writing and lovable characters, Elf has become a Christmas classic, much like the traditional Rankin-Bass holiday specials it playfully spoofs. While there have been several efforts to recreate its magic with stage shows and cartoons, nothing quite compares to the original film. We’re ready to see Will Ferrell return to the role, even if the elf costume isn’t quite as snug anymore!

4
‘Krampus’ (2015)


Universal Pictures

A family in America hoping for a visit from Santa Claus got a terrifying surprise instead: Krampus, a creature from European folklore we’ve featured in several films. Unlike Santa, Krampus doesn’t bring gifts – he punishes families who aren’t behaving. As a blizzard traps them, the family must fight for survival against Krampus and his evil helpers, including monstrous toys and deadly gingerbread men.

Like the movie Gremlins, Krampus found humor in its frightening monster who punishes bad children. There’s a lot of potential for a sequel, particularly now that the young actor, Emjay Anthony, is older. It would be great to see him try to warn a new group of kids about Krampus, creating another fun and scary Christmas horror-comedy.

3
‘The Holiday’ (2006)


Sony Pictures Releasing

Few movies capture the romance of a Christmas getaway quite like The Holiday. It’s easy to dream of escaping to a picturesque English village like Cameron Diaz’s character, and finding love with someone as appealing as Jude Law. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Kate Winslet’s character discovers a connection with a delightfully charming Jack Black.

There’s just something comforting about rewatching The Holiday. It makes you wonder what happened to those characters after the movie ended! A sequel, set years later, would be a wonderful way to revisit them and see where life took them, especially with all the potential for heartwarming drama and romance.

2
‘Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale’


Kinology

The film Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale presents a truly bizarre and unsettling take on Santa Claus. Set in a small Finnish town, the story unfolds amidst a series of disturbing events: children disappear, reindeer are killed, and a strange drilling project begins in the mountains. Things get even stranger when the townspeople unearth a terrifying version of Santa Claus himself.

The Finnish film Rare Exports playfully reimagines Christmas traditions, and it’s ripe for similar creative twists. Since the movie centers around capturing and controlling elves with a darkly funny approach, it would be amusing to see the same characters deal with other mischievous holiday figures – imagine a really angry Frosty the Snowman or a chaotic Rudolph!

1
‘Trading Places’


Paramount Pictures

I absolutely love Trading Places! It’s such a fun take on The Prince and the Pauper, but with a totally ’80s spin and a Christmas setting. Basically, it’s about a fancy commodities broker, played by Dan Aykroyd, who switches lives with a street hustler, Eddie Murphy. It’s all a crazy bet cooked up by these ridiculously rich guys, the Duke brothers, and everything comes to a head around Christmas. Honestly, nothing feels more like a New York Christmas to me than seeing Dan Aykroyd stumble around as a drunken Santa on the subway – it’s a classic!

A new Trading Places movie would be a good fit right now, as the story tackles the ongoing issue of class differences. Plus, the original actors are open to returning: Eddie Murphy recently reprised his roles in Coming to America and Beverly Hills Cop, and Dan Aykroyd has appeared in the recent Ghostbusters films.

A sequel to Trading Places might actually happen! Dan Aykroyd has said he’s currently writing a script. Plus, the Duke brothers made a quick appearance in the recent Coming to America follow-up, giving filmmakers a starting point. It looks like fans might finally get the Christmas gift they’ve been hoping for.

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2025-12-03 16:21