'The Family Stone' writer and director working on a sequel following Diane Keaton's death
A sequel to "The Family Stone" is in the works.
In an interview with CNN, published Wednesday, Thomas Bezucha, who wrote and directed the 2005 film, said he has been working on a follow-up to the original film, which follows the Stone family at Christmas time as they navigate matriarch Sybil Stone's (Diane Keaton) cancer diagnosis.
Bezucha said he was working on the new script when he learned of Keaton's death last month at the age of 79. Keaton died on Oct. 11 of pneumonia, according to People, which cited a statement from the actress's family.
"I've been haunted by the loss of Sybil for months now while I worked on it, and so this was a low on a tender bruise already," Bezucha said. "Mentally, I've been spending time in that house where I've been missing her for a while already."
He added that Keaton's death made him want to "do a good job by the rest of the cast" and "honor her even more."
Keaton starred in "The Family Stone" alongside Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Tyrone Giordano, Brian J. White, Elizabeth Reaser, Paul Schneider and Jamie Kaler.
The film, which was produced by 20th Century Fox and has since been acquired by Disney, follows uptight businesswoman Meredith (Parker), who accompanies her boyfriend Everett (Mulroney) to his family's Christmas celebration and learns she's a fish out of water in their spirited way of life.
Bezucha said that when he first took his idea for a sequel to his producer, he said he was only interested in making a second film if it involved the principal cast.
"I'm not interested in the Brady family reunion without the original Jan," he said, adding that when he reached out to the rest of the cast, he received "positive responses."
According to CNN, the sequel film has not yet been greenlit, but Mulroney told the New York Post earlier this month that a follow-up to the first film was in the works.
"We knew that it was such a great group, perfect for these roles," Mulroney recalled about making the film. "By then, [Keaton] was the leader that we embraced, rather than wondering how it was going to go."
He then praised Keaton further, saying, "She could have fed us crumbs, and yet she gave it her all, and we all got really close. So it was quite an incredible process. The filming of 'The Family Stone' had its own lifespan in that way. So many things happened during it."
"Good Morning America" has reached out to 20th Century Studios for comment.
Disney is the parent company of 20th Century Studios and ABC News.
