National Lampoon’s Vacation (the one where they go to Wally World) has already had three sequels, which in the mind of movie execs, makes it ripe for another.
New Line is developing a sequel of sorts to the 1983 comedy classic, with David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers, Fred Claus) attached to produce and possibly direct. New Line is meeting with writers to write the script but the take is already developed: the story focuses on Rusty Griswold, the son of Clark Griswold, the protagonist of the initial movies portrayed by Chevy Chase. The younger Griswold is now a father himself and takes his family on a road trip vacation. The characters would acknowledge that first trip, making the movie more of a sequel than a reboot.
The original “Vacation” is a Warner Bros. property but as soon as New Line became part of the studio, exec Sam Brown began sifting through the parent company’s titles to see what was available in terms of rights. He eventually found “Vacation,” a movie he has watched more than any other in his life, and brought it to New Line president Toby Emmerich and production president Richard Brener, who jumped at the possibilities.
They’d probably jump for a frozen herring too. This is the problem with the movie business in a nutshell: the execs are too stupid or lazy or cowardly to read new scripts (or to ask the opinion of people they pay to read scripts for them), and instead spend their time trying find out which movies they already made that they can make again. What is this, karaoke? Grow some balls, you pussies.
(It’s okay, Birthday Dog isn’t traumatized, he’s too busy partyin’.)
Like everyone else, I enjoyed The Hangover a lot, but I’m usually careful to point out that it was good mainly because of Zach Galifianakis, a likable cast, and a director who knows comedy and has a nice visual style (Todd Phillips), and not because of the script or the concept (which one studio head wanted to call What Happens in Vegas). Sadly, that won’t stop a couple of the original screenwriters from getting work because of The Hangover’s success (even though it’s well-known that Todd Phillips and Jeremy Garelick did extensive rewrites).
Universal has picked up the script “Change Up” from “Hangover” writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. David Dobkin is attached to direct and produce.
Nothing wrong with that, right? Hold on…
The studio is keeping the logline under wraps, though it is known to be a body-switching comedy. In addition to “Hangover,” which has become the top-grossing R-rated comedy with $258.6 million, Lucas and Moore also wrote the recent New Line comedies “The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” and “Four Christmases.” Dobkin last directed 2007’s “Fred Claus.” [THR]
So that’s Ghosts of Girlfriends Past plus Four Christmases plus Fred Claus plus body swap comedy? …We’re gonna need a bigger WOOOOF. I can’t wait for the next Lucas/Moore/Dobkin collaboration, Vince Vaughn is Fired Up about Breakfast Cereal.
Word is The Flash movie’s still happening, and has picked up director David Dobkin (Clay Pigeons, Shanghai Knights, Wedding Crashers, Fred Claus - yeesh, talk about a varied career).
Dobkin’s film won’t be the character’s first appearance in cinemas, of course, with the Flash a major part of the upcoming “Justice League of America” film. But while fans wait for “JLA” story and casting announcements with bated breath, Dobkin can’t help but hold his – confirming that his movie will exist in the same universe as the upcoming flick as a direct spin-off. [MTV]
I still hold out hope that JLA will be enough of a disaster that a spinoff will be impossible.
Dobkin also said that his movie would deal with the Wally West incarnation of the Flash, which "would seem to mesh perfectly with recent rumors that “JLA” opens with Barry Allen’s funeral." I’m not sure what that means because I’ve had sex with a woman before. She may or may not have been awake at the time, but either way I’m still too cool for Tonka Trucks and Flash comics and shit… Mom.
