Billy Bob Thornton says it was "really good" to reprise his role in ‘Bad Santa 2’.
The 61-year-old actor stars as Willie – the titular bad Santa – in the recently released sequel to the 2003 comedy movie, and has said he enjoyed getting back into the red suit once again as he believes the original movie has now become "iconic".
Speaking to Total Film magazine, Billy said: "The first movie has become kind of iconic, you know. Like people watch ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ and ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ and ‘Bad Santa’ – it’s like a box set.
"So it’s really good to do this, and it’s been 13 years and we just kind of stepped into it (and) it fit like a glove."
‘Bad Santa 2’ sees Willie return to cash in on the festive season once again, this time with a plan to steal millions of dollars from a Chicago-based charity.
The sequel also features Kathy Bates as Willie’s mother Sunny, a part that was previously written as a male before decided to make changes to the script.
Director Mark Waters said previously: "There was a whole series of development ideas based around [Willie] and his dad – his dad being the most awful person in the world. And it was like, ‘Let’s get Robert Duvall to play the dad!’ And he was actually named Sonny with an ‘O.’ And then we said, ‘What if it becomes Sunny with a ‘U’ and it’s a woman.’ And then immediately it seemed like ‘Well why not get Kathy Bates?’ I think we were saying, ‘Let’s get a Kathy Bates-type.’"
Mark also admitted that whilst the film aims to be "anti-Christmas" in it’s approach, the relationship between Willie and Thurman Murman – the young boy played by Brett Kelly – still gives the movie "all this heart".
He said: "The script has this aspect to it where even though it’s kind of a complete anti-Christmas movie, it’s also sneakily a Christmas movie and has all this heart to it with this relationship between Thurman and Willie."
Billy Bob Thornton felt ‘really good’ making Bad Santa 2
