In case you hadn’t already realised, the sequel to the 2003 Christmas film Bad Santa won’t be with us this year as we once hoped.

Billy Bob Thornton – who played the lead role of Willie in the original film – has spoken publicly on several occasions of his intention to be involved in a sequel – Bad Santa 2 – and last year it looked as though that may have been with us in 2014.

However, with no news of progress all year, the anticipated shooting of the picture earlier this year never took place. Instead, the script still awaits sign-off, and that doesn’t appear to be much closer than it was 12 months ago.

Speaking only last week, Thornton told an audience at the Hollywood Masters event hosted at Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film & Television where things are up to:

“We’re just waiting for a script, ya know? We’re never gonna beat the first one but you got to get as close as you can. You just can’t go and do it haflway so we’re waiting for something that’s close enough.”

The actor openly admits the sequel isn’t going to be as good as the original, but it seems as though everyone is keen to see a new instalment of the festive crime comedy. The actor was the first to confirm that a follow-up would be made all the way back in 2009, expected for a 2011 release.

However, in a project seemingly riddled by delays, it’s now expected sometime in 2016.

IMDb states that Doug Ellin, John Phillips and Johnny Rosenthal are working on the screenplay while Adam Field will produce the film.

The original Bad Santa was released back in 2003 and earned Thornton a Golden Globe nomination. It grossed more than $76million at the box office worldwide.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter