Jean Smart Joins ‘The Family Stone’ Sequel

(Left) Jean Smart as Deborah Vance in Season 5 of 'Hacks'. Photo: Courtesy of HBO Max. (Right) Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton in 'The Family Stone.' Photo: 20th Century Fox. — (Left) Jean Smart as Deborah Vance in Season 5 of ‘Hacks’. Photo: Courtesy of HBO Max. (Right) Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton in ‘The Family Stone.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Preview:

‘Hacks’ award winner Jean Smart is joining ‘The Family Stone’ sequel.
Writer/director Tom Bezucha is returning alongside much of the cast.
The movie is called ‘The Families Stone.’

Earlier this month, we learned that the long-gestating sequel to 2005 holiday comedy drama ‘The Family Stone’ was really, truly coming together, with filmmaker Tom Bezucha gathering most of the cast (save the late Diane Keaton, whose character passes at the end of the first film anyway) for a new movie.

Today, we’re learning a dual update: the movie’s proper title is ‘The Families Stone’ and, fresh off her latest Emmy victory for ‘Hacks,’ Jean Smart is joining the ensemble.

That includes the likes of Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Tyrone Giordano, Elizabeth Reaser, Paul Schneider and Brian White, who are all returning, with cameras set to roll in the coming weeks.

Related Article: Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams & More Back for ‘The Family Stone’ Sequel

What’s the story of ‘The Family Stone’?

(L to R) Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Elizabeth Reaser and Diane Keaton in 'The Family Stone.' Photo: 20th Century Fox. — (L to R) Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Elizabeth Reaser and Diane Keaton in ‘The Family Stone.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

In the first film, Sybil and Kelly (Keaton and Nelson) host their adult kids (Mulroney, McAdams, Wilson and Reaser) for the holidays, as she prepares to tell the family about her terminal illness.

The visit is complicated by Everett’s (Mulroney) plans to propose to his high-strung girlfriend Meredith ( Parker), of whom Sybil does not approve.

This new film picks up the story 20 years later as the Stone family again reunites for Christmas, only to face the season’s biggest surprise: Kelly has unexpectedly invited the woman he’s fallen in love (Smart) with to meet the family.

What did Bezucha say about the sequel?

Diane Keaton stars as Diane in 'Book Club: The Next Chapter,' a Focus Features release. — Diane Keaton stars as Diane in ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter,’ a Focus Features release.

Bezucha has said he fully intends the new movie to honor Keaton:

“I’ve been haunted by the loss of Sybil for months now while I worked on it, and so this was a blow on a tender bruise already. Mentally, I’ve been spending time in that house where I’ve been missing her for a while already.”