Kathy Bates Gets In The Holiday Spirit For ‘Bad Santa 2’
Billy Bob Thornton’s Willie Soke is back forBad Santa 2, as areTony Cox’s Marcus andBrett Kelly’s Thurman Merman. But now the sequel has made its first new addition.Kathy Batesis joining the black-hearted holiday comedy, which will be directed byMean GirlshelmerMark Waters. More on the Bad Santa 2 Kathy Bates casting after the jump.THRreports Bates has locked in her deal to play Sunny Soke, “the foulmouthed, tough-as-nails mother to Thornton’s mall Santa, Willie Soke.” In real life, Bates is only seven years older than the 60-year-old Thornton. Plot details are wrapped up tighter than a Christmas present, but – in case Kelly’s return as a now-grown Thurman wasn’t a dead giveaway — the new film is expected to take place several years after the events of the first.
Released in 2003, the originalBad Santawas directed by Terry Zwigoff from a script by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. The story followed Thornton’s Willie, a thief whose con is getting hired as a department store Santa and then robbing the place. Marcus was his assistant, whose stature makes him the ideal to play a department store elf. Willie’s life takes a strange turn when he reluctantly befriends an earnest but awkward kid named Thurman Merman.
The film was a modest hit and has only become more beloved through years of Yuletide reruns. (Hey, those of us who don’t enjoy the touchy-feely stuff need something to watch over the holidays, too.) A sequel was put into motion, but suffered years of stops and starts before it finally got a shot in the arm from Broad Green Pictures last month. The company signed on to co-finance and co-distribute with Miramax, set Thornton to reprise his role, and in short order hired Waters to direct.
Johnny Rosenthal,Doug Ellin(Entourage), andShauna Cross(Whip It) are credited with the script, which has changed hands many times over the past several years.Andrew Gunn(Freaky Friday) will produce withGeyer Kosinski(FX’sFargo). Waters and Ellin serve as executive producers alongsideZanne DevineandDavid Thwaitesof Miramax,GabrielandDaniel Hammondof Broad Green, andJessica Tuchinsky.
Bates won an Emmy last year forAmerican Horror Story: Covenand was nominated for another Emmy this year forAmerican Horror Story: Freak Show. She’s back again this season forAmerican Horror Story: Hotel. On the film side, she recently appeared inTammyand will reunite with star Melissa McCarthy and director Ben Falcone for next year’sThe Boss. She also has Xavier Dolan’sThe Death and Life of John F. Donovancoming up soon.
Shooting onBad Santa 2is expected to get underway early next year. No release date has been set, but assuming everything goes according to schedule, holiday 2016 seems like it’d be a natural fit, right?
