Kathy Bates is set to play Billy Bob Thornton‘s foul-mouthed mother in “Bad Santa 2,” TheWrap has learned.
“Mean Girls” director Mark Waters (“Mean Girls”) will direct the sequel, which was written by “Entourage” creator Doug Ellin, Johnny Rosenthal and Shauna Cross.
Tony Cox and Brett Kelly are reprising their roles, though plot details are being kept under wraps.
“Bad Santa 2” will be co-financed by Miramax and Broad Green Pictures, with the latter company handling its release next year. Production will start in January in Montreal.
Geyer Kosinski and Andrew Gunn will produce “Bad Santa 2,” while Waters and Ellin will serve as executive producer alongside Jessica Tuchinsky, Miramax’s Zanne Devine and David Thwaites, and Broad Green principals Gabriel and Daniel Hammond.