When Bad Santa 2 was first announced, it had us wondering whether or not the sequel would have Billy Bob Thornton re-teaming with Lauren Graham in the forthcoming sequel. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's the case, as a brand new woman has strolled into the life of Willie T. Stokes. Prepare for Christina Hendricks to give our favorite mall Santa a run for his money.
In an announcement, courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, Hendricks' character in Bad Santa 2 has been announced as a woman with a bit of a Santa fetish – much like Graham's bartender character from the original film. However, the new potential match for Thornton's Kris Kringle is the head of a charity, and possesses an Ivy League education. Along for the ride as his accomplice is Kathy Bates' mother character, who is helping Willie out on completing his latest heist - that very same charity run by his romantic opposite.
Despite being a little bit bummed that the odds of Lauren Graham's Sue returning being not particularly rosy, the new addition of Christina Hendricks is so exciting that we're already imagining the possibilities. While not much else is known about the film's story, key building blocks of the plot and the story have been revealed in the months after the film's official greenlight. With the project set to start filming this month, this is only the beginning to the Bad Santa 2 secrets to be revealed to the public.
Even before Mad Men drew to a close, with its finale airing last May, Christina Hendricks has been making her way into the world of the movies for some time. Roles in films like Drive, Lost River, and The Neon Demon have built her resume to a point where more mainstream titles are coming to call on her skills. With Bad Santa 2 acting as her most visible film project yet, this role might be the one to cement Hendricks as a full-fledged film actress. Though should a return to TV be in the cards, it also helps that a comedic role will help Christina Hendricks from being typecast in another drama.
With a cast of returning actors, as well as some surprising new additions, Bad Santa 2 is shaping up to be a sequel that's becoming increasingly harder to look away from. As if Billy Bob Thornton returning to his iconic role of a misanthropic, but eventually kind Santa, the potential banter with his new co-star is a very promising prospect. We'll get to see Christina Hendricks laugh it up with the rest of the cast, when the film is released later this year.
