Cameron Diaz stars as Amanda in the movie The Holiday. Photo / Supplied
Cameron Diaz stars as Amanda in the movie The Holiday. Photo / Supplied
The Holiday has been a Christmas couch-beckoner since it hit screens in 2006.
Now, 16 years later it has been reported that the movie has got a second instalment under way, with stars such as Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black all agreeing to the sequel.
Cameron Diaz has signed up for The Holiday sequel with the original cast reviving roles after the 'retired' star announced her surprise return to acting. Photo / Supplied
Writtenand directed by Nancy Meyers, the original film told the tale of Surrey-based journalist Iris (Winslet) who swaps homes with Amanda (Diaz), a Hollywood movie producer, on the account that they both have suffered heartbreaks right before Christmas.
While in Surrey, Amanda falls for Iris’s book editor brother, widower Graham (Law), while Iris finds romance with Miles (Black).
The next instalment of this classic Christmas romcom will catch up with both couples 16 years after finding love.
“The plan is to start filming next year. The main talent are all signed up”, a source told The Sun.
The original movie told the tale of Surrey-based journalist Iris who swaps homes with Amanda, a movie producer from Hollywood, following respective heartbreaks. Photo / Supplied
The source added: “It’s one of the most successful movies of its kind and still enjoyed every year by millions of fans around the world - it makes perfect sense to revisit those characters and find out what became of their lives after they hooked up.”
“It’ll be funny, poignant, and heartwarming - just what everyone wants for Christmas.”
When The Holiday originally came out, it received mixed reviews with some critics labeling the film as “predictable”. However, the movie swept up more than £160million (NZ$308 million) at the box office.
One star who will be missed in the sequel is Eli Wallach, who died in 2014 at the age of 98.
Eli Wallach and Director Nancy Meyers at "The Holiday" premiere in New York. Photo / Getty Images
Eli stole the audience’s hearts in the movie playing Arthur Abbott, an elderly screenwriter who wrote screenplays during Hollywood’s Golden Age and befriends Winslet’s character Iris when she moves to California for the holidays.
The Hollywood star was 90 years of age when The Holiday was released and continued working right up until 2010.
News of the second instalment came shortly after Diaz did a 360 on her decision to retire from acting.
Actor Jamie Foxx managed to persuade the actress to return to the film industry and star alongside him in the action-comedy Back In Action, which started production at the end of September.
Foxx notably added Tom Brady to the cast list in order to convince the formerly retired actress to come on board and put her long-term break aside.
Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz attend a photocall for "Annie" at Corinthia Hotel London in London, England. Photo / Getty Images
The release date of Back In Action has not been announced as of yet.
Diaz’s last movie was the 2014 remake of Annie. The star revealed her decision to retire was because she wanted to step back and “take a look at what the whole picture looks like for me.”
