The original film was about George Bailey. (Photo via theartofbeinginspired/Tumblr)

The original film is about a troubled father, George Bailey, who's stopped by an angel as he's about to commit suicide. In the sequel, George Bailey's daughter "Zuzu" (in the original film, played by Karolyn Grimes) will return as an angel to guide Bailey's unlikable grandson.

"The new film will retain the feeling of the original, and it simply must be shared," Grimes said. 

Farnsworth is expecting some backlash: "Look, no one can make another 'It's a Wonderful Life.' But our story is solid, and we are going in with our eyes open. There is no doubt about it, there will be a ruckus. But i have this motto: All it takes to be a leader is to have a cause you believe in. And the the stronger you believe in the cause, the more adversaries you will have. And we strongly believe in this."

The sequel tries to tie two Christmas classics together – "It's A Wonderful Life" and "Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol."

"It's A Wonderful Life" was released in 1946 Christmas. It was derided by some film critics when it first came out. But through the years, the film gained more viewing during the holiday season.  

The original film was nominated for five Oscars. 

Reach Staff Reporter Jiawei Wang here.