Solondz revisits 'Happiness' in new film

Todd Solondz has revisited the characters from his controversial film Happiness in his latest project.

The director has described Life During Wartime as a "variation" rather than a sequel to the 1998 film, which courted controversy with its sympathetic portrayals of characters including a paedophile and an obscene caller.

However, an entirely new cast - including Michael Kenneth Williams, Shirley Henderson, Paul Reubens and Charlotte Rampling - will recreate the lives of Happiness's protagonists ten years on.

"These are characters with troubles and struggles and that's what makes it compelling for me," Solondz told The Independent. "You have to have a struggle."

Life During Wartime opens on April 23.