Gil Kenan, the writer and director behind Netflix's A Boy Called Christmas revealed where he is in the process of creating a sequel.
The story followed the tale of Nikolas, as told by an aunt to two children under her care, a young boy who would one day go on to become Santa Claus after discovering the fabled village of Elfhelm.
Netflix's film was actually based on a book by the same name, which is the first of three in a series.
In 2021, while speaking with Collider, Kenan confirmed that there were discussions on adapting more stories in this world. The writer noted that if they can "get a great screenplay, then hopefully we'll continue to tell these stories."
Progress Update on A Boy Called Christmas Sequel
While promoting his upcoming film Saturday Night and speaking exclusively to The Direct's Russ Milheim, A Boy Called Christmas writer and director Gil Kenan commented on the current status of a possible sequel.
When asked if there has been much progress since the last update in 2021, Kenan admitted that there has not been much.
However, he added that "there's a story that [he] really want[s] to tell," though the recent sad passing of iconic actor Maggie Smith (who played Aunt Ruth in the original movie) has Kenan re-evaluating doing a sequel at all:
"Not much [progress]. There's a story that I really want to tell, and I haven't gone much further than that. I will say that one of the most important characters for me in that first film was the character of Aunt Ruth, played by Maggie Smith. And of course, she passed away tragically last week--not tragically, she lived an incredible life, [it's] sadly for me––and so I will have to assess whether I can tell more stories in that world without her singular voice narrating."
The writer admitted that Smith's narration "created a perfect tonal window into that world:"
"Because I do feel like, for me, that created a perfect tonal window into that world. But thank you for asking about that film. I'm incredibly proud of it, and as summer gives way to Autumn and Autumn begins to give way to Winter, it reminds me of what a joy telling that story was, and I hope audiences and families continue to make that film part of their holiday tradition."
What To Expect In a Possible Boy Called Christmas Sequel
While it makes sense that there would be hesitancy to move forward with a Boy Called Christmas sequel after the passing of Maggie Smit, the stories could still continue.
Each book in the series the first movie is based on focuses on a new story at a different point in Santa Klaus' life, as he grows and evolves.
The first story is when he is 12, but most of the second (called The Girl Who Saved Christmas) is when he's in his early twenties and introduces a new protagonist named Ameilia Wishart.
As great as the narrative framing of Maggie Smith's narration was, the core of the story is still that of Nikolas and those around him in his magical world. Though, of course, she would be sorely missed.
If the creatives really wanted to go in an original direction with it, it could follow the grown-up version of the kids that Aunt Ruth originally told the story to, and how their paths might one day cross with Nikolas and Elfheim. In turn, this could even integrate the reveal of Aunt Ruth's true identity as Truth Pixie.
A Boy Called Christmas is now streaming on Netflix.
