New National Lampoon’s Vacation Sequel In The Works

No, no, no NO NO NO NOOOOOOOO. I start overacting like Shia LaBeouf when I learn news about Hollywood remaking or sequelizing movies from my childhood. I’m not an anti-sequel person, and in that area, I’m a lot more optimistic than most film fanatics. With the advances in technology and special effects, I understand the want to update some of the big sci-fi and effects heavy classics (not that I agree, but I at least understand…)

But some movies just need to be left alone: particularly dramas and comedies. The Karate Kid doesn’t need a remake starring Will Smith’s son and Jackie Chan, and Nation Lampoon’s Vacation doesn’t need another crappy sequel/spin-off. New Line/Warner Bros has signed Wedding Crashers and Fred Claus director David Dobkinto produce and possibly direct a new film in the Vacation series.

New Line has already developed a storyline, which they are now meeting with screenwriters to pen the script. The story follows Rusty Griswold, the son of Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase in the original films), who is now a father in his own right and takes his family on a, you guessed it, road trip vacation. Heatvision reports that New Line hopes to make a movie that skews more towards Planes Trains and Automobiles or Little Miss Sunshine than RV or Are We There Yet? Thank God…

And the movie will not be a remake, but a sequel/spin-off/reboot. The first trip would be acknowledged and the story will focus on a new adventure. The plan is to write in parts, although it hasn’t been established if it would be a cameo or something much larger, for Chase and Beverly D’Angelo to return as grandparents. Of course, no deals are in place.

It is unlikely that any of the original Griswold child actors will return for the new film, since Rusty and Audrey have been played by a different set of actors in each film. This fact is actually made into a joke in Vegas Vacation when Clark tells his children that he “hardly recognizes” them anymore.

It’s hard to complain about another sequel since this franchise has already been milked to death. It’s not like this film could ever hurt the series’ legacy, at least not any more than Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure (which is one of the worst films I’ve ever seen… ever). Christmas Vacation is one of the few third films in a movie series that ended up surpassing the sequel, European Vacation, by leaps and bounds. The 1997 film Vegas Vacation wasn’t horrible, but also wasn’t on the same level as either Vacation or Christmas Vacation.