Edward Burns returns 30 years after his Sundance breakthrough with ‘The Family McMullen,’ a fresh 2025 rom-com blending nostalgia, family, and new-generation voices.
Edward Burns Returns to His Roots: ‘The Family McMullen’ Marks a Heartfelt Comeback 30 Years After His Sundance Breakthrough
Edward Burns has always had a knack for grounding his stories in the emotional terrain of family, love, and the messiness of everyday life. In 1995, he burst onto the independent film scene with The Brothers McMullen, the micro-budget Sundance sensation that catapulted him from a young filmmaker with a dream to an industry success story. Thirty years later, Burns returns to that universe with The Family McMullen, a new chapter that blends nostalgia with timely themes and introduces a new generation of talent.
Set to debut on HBO Max this weekend, the film brings back familiar faces like Connie Britton, Michael McGlone, and Shari Albert, while welcoming younger stars including Tracee Ellis Ross, Halston Sage, Pico Alexander, Sam Vartholomeos, Brian d’Arcy James, and Juliana Canfield. The result is a multigenerational romantic comedy that honors the spirit of the original while speaking directly to life in 2025.
A Full-Circle Moment Three Decades in the Making
For Burns, revisiting the McMullen world wasn’t just a creative decision—it was a deeply personal journey. “Blessed” is the word he uses to describe the feeling of making a sequel after 30 years. Stepping back into his childhood home, where the first film was shot, brought unexpected emotions. The house had been sold 20 years earlier, but Burns and his team were determined to return to that location to recapture the intimate, authentic tone that defined the original.
Securing the home wasn’t simple. The new owners were hesitant at first, but after a bit of friendly persuasion from a neighborhood acquaintance, they embraced the project. “We only needed a day, and they ended up being very happy we were there,” Burns says. It was a symbolic return to the place where his filmmaking career began—and a reminder of how far he has come.
Finding the Story: From Career Inspiration to Modern Realities
Burns traces the idea of a sequel all the way back to Sundance 1995, when he attended the premiere of Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise. He admired Linklater’s ability to revisit characters over decades, creating cinematic time capsules that evolve with both the audience and the actors. That sparked the possibility of someday returning to the McMullen brothers.
But inspiration alone wasn’t enough. Burns initially attempted to write a sequel for the 20th anniversary, but the story just wouldn’t take shape. It wasn’t until he read a piece about rising housing costs and young adults moving back home that the breakthrough happened. Suddenly, the modern dilemma of adult children returning to their parents became the perfect entry point for the next chapter.
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In The Family McMullen, Burns’ character Barry is now a father whose adult children find themselves back under his roof. This setup provided fresh thematic territory, allowing Burns to explore the tension between generations, shifting cultural expectations, and the timeless chaos of romantic relationships.
Connie Britton Becomes “the Third McMullen Brother”
One of the biggest returning influences in the sequel is Connie Britton, now a major star with credits including Friday Night Lights and The White Lotus. Burns and Britton have remained close friends over the decades, and he knew early on that she would be a central figure in the sequel.
He pitched her a bold idea: turning her character into a widow and positioning her as an honorary “third McMullen brother.” Britton immediately told him to keep writing. Her expanded role adds emotional depth and a refreshing perspective that bridges the generational storyline.
Blending Old and New: Crafting a Multigenerational Rom-Com for 2025
While the original was a blend of comedy and heavier dramatic moments, Burns approached the sequel with a lighter hand. He wanted The Family McMullen to embrace the energy of a true romantic comedy—funny, warm, and uplifting, even amid conflict.
A key challenge, however, was writing dialogue for characters decades younger than himself. At 57, Burns knew he couldn’t perfectly capture the voice of modern twenty-somethings on his own. So he collaborated closely with his young cast—Pico Alexander, Juliana Canfield, Halston Sage, and Sam Vartholomeos—giving them freedom to adapt lines so they sounded natural and contemporary.
“This is what the scene needs to be,” he told them. “But feel free to change any line so it feels real and authentic.” That collaboration became crucial to the film’s tone. Burns has always believed that authenticity is the lifeblood of his storytelling—and the younger actors helped infuse the script with the rhythm and relatability of today’s generation.
Looking Ahead: A New Chapter for Old Fans and New Audiences
With HBO Max backing the project and a cast that bridges eras of Hollywood talent, The Family McMullen aims to speak both to fans who grew up with the original and to younger viewers discovering the McMullens for the first time. Burns’ commitment to honest, character-driven filmmaking is unchanged, but the world around his characters has evolved—and the film reflects that growth.
Thirty years after his fairy-tale Sundance debut, Edward Burns has returned not just to a beloved story, but to the creative principles that shaped his filmmaking identity. The Family McMullen isn’t just a sequel—it’s a celebration of where his journey began and where it’s headed next.
