Christina Hendricks has signed up to star in 'Bad Santa 2'.

Christina Hendricks

Christina Hendricks

The Miramax and Broad Green Pictures sequel sees the return of Billy Bob Thornton's chain smoking, beer guzzling Father Christmas impersonator Willie and the 'Mad Men' beauty is set to join him in a lead role, when filming begins next week.

The 40-year-old beauty plays an Ivy League-educated woman who runs a charity and who falls for Willie, after he and his foul-mouthed, tough-as-nails mother Sunny Soke - portrayed by 'Misery' actress Kathy Bates - plot to steal the charity's cash.

No more plot details have been revealed about the film, however, it is known that Christina's character is attracted to shifty lowlifes in Santa costumes, while Tony Cox returns as thieving elf Marcus and Brett Kelly also reprises his role as 'The Kid' Thurman Merman.

Production starts next week in Montreal and 'Mean Girls' director Mark Waters is at the helm of the project, which is set for release at the end of the year 13 years after the original was released.

Johnny Rosenthal and Doug Ellin - who penned 'Entourage' - and Shauna Cross ('If I Stay') wrote the script.

Christina is currently filming indie movie 'Pottersville' with 'Man Of Steel' actor Michael Shannon.