The Family Stone Cast Is Reuniting for a Sequel 20 Years Later, and It's a Tribute to Diane Keaton

The Stone family is coming home for Christmas again. Searchlight Pictures announced The Families Stone, a sequel to the 2005 holiday favorite, and the original cast is returning: Sarah Jessica Parker, Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson, and Craig T. Nelson. The new film picks up roughly 20 years after the first one, with the family gathering for the holidays and discovering that Dad has invited a new love interest, echoing the original’s unforgettable Christmas dinner.

The sequel carries a heavier weight this time. Diane Keaton, who played matriarch Sybil Stone, passed away in October 2025 at 79. Writer and director Thomas Bezucha returned to helm the project as a tribute to her, and Luke Wilson said the script is genuinely funny and meaningful, especially after losing Keaton, who he called a joy to be around on the first film.

For a lot of families, The Family Stone has been part of the holiday season for two decades, right alongside the same recipes and traditions year after year. Now the cast has aged with us, and the story is dealing with something nearly every family faces: carrying on after losing a parent. That mix of laughter and heart is exactly what made the original so loved.

What’s your go-to Christmas movie every year? Tell us in the comments.