While his name has cropped up in rumours about the movie before, it appears that Ed Helms is now officially in negotiations to lead New Line’s fresh take on the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise.
The new version, simply called Vacation, has been in development for a few years now and has been held back by the usual run of script drafts, director changes and the sheer force of will of people who don’t really want to see it happen.
One element that has stayed surprisingly consistent (especially for a long-gestating studio project) is the writers. Horrible Bosses duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein have been attached since the idea sprang into being in 2009.
They’re also directing the pic, which will find a grown up Rusty Griswold (Helms, assuming he signs), taking his own brood on a road trip with hopefully hilarious misadventures. So that makes it a reboot? A sequel? A seqboot? A remale?
Everyone will have to wait a little while to start shooting though, even if they do get Helms; he’s going to be busy on The Hangover 3 and day job The Office. The plan is to find some time in his schedule next spring.
With the new man aboard, can you find it in your heart to embrace the idea? Or is it still a remake too far? And any guesses as to whether they can get Chevy Chase for a cameo?