After nearly 40 years, Ralphie Parker is back. The classic 1983 holiday comedy A Christmas Story is at long last getting a new sequel, which will premiere on HBO Max on Nov. 17. And unlike with past sequels and spinoffs of the film, this one is a direct continuation that will feature many members of the original cast. That list includes Peter Billingsley, who stars once again as Ralphie.
A new teaser trailer for the movie has just been released, and while it’s short, it gives fans a glimpse of Billingsley getting back into character in a very recognizable way. Read on to find out more about the film and the former child star’s life today.
READ THIS NEXT: See Young Forrest From Forrest Gump Now at 37.
The upcoming sequel, titled A Christmas Story Christmas, will be set in the 1970s, around 30 years after the original movie. In the film, Ralphie returns to his childhood home with his own wife (Erinn Hayes) and children (Julianna Layne, River Drosche), hoping to give his kids a Christmas like the ones he had as a child. He also meets up with old friends and mourns the loss of his father (aka the “Old Man”), who was played by late actor Darren McGavin.
Ian Petrella returns as Ralphie’s brother, R.D. Robb and Scott Schwartz as Ralphie’s friends, and Zack Ward as their childhood bully.
HBO Max released a teaser trailer for the movie on Oct. 17. It takes viewers around the house from the original film under a montage of memorable quotes (“I can’t put my arms down!” “Oh, fudge.”). Then, in extreme close-up, Billingsley dons a pair of glasses that look just like the ones he wore as a kid in the first movie.
This isn’t the first A Christmas Story sequel, but it does differ from the ones before in some major ways. My Summer Story, which was about the Parker family, but did not feature the same cast, came out in 1994. There was also 2012’s A Christmas Story 2, which featured a new cast and followed Ralphie as a teenager.
Billingsley continued to act following his child star days. In the ’90s, he appeared on The Wonder Years and Sherman Oaks. More recently, he played the scientist character William Ginter Riva in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies Iron Man and Spider-Man: Far from Home. In those superhero movies, Billingsley looks unrecognizable as his childhood self, sporting a mustache and shaved head. The 51-year-old star has also appeared in the movies The Break-Up, Four Christmases, and A Case of You.
While Billingsley has continued performing, in recent years, he has worked primarily behind the camera as a producer. He’s been an executive producer on Iron Man, The Break-Up, and Four Christmases, and also produced the show F Is for Family and an episode of the ESPN documentary series 30 for 30. He’s a producer on A Christmas Story Christmas, as well.
He’s also tried his hand at directing; the 2009 comedy Couples Retreat, starring frequent collaborator Vince Vaughn, was one of his projects.