Beverly D'Angelo Says Another VACATION Movie Was Almost Made in Which Clark and Ellen Griswold Got Divorced

The National Lampoon’s Vacation movies are a staple for so many fans of comedy. The first film, National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) introduced us to the Griswold family, Clark (Chevy Chase) and Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo), and their two kids, Rusty and Audrey, as well as the ever-awkward Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid). These three named actors, along with Eddie’s wife Catherine (Miriam Flynn), were the mainstays of the films, while the young actors who played Rusty and Audrey comically swapped out for each film.

After the first movie, we got European Vacation (1985), Christmas Vacation (1989), and then Vegas Vacation (1997). Beside the slapstick and dry-witted humor, and apart from Cousin Eddie’s style choices, one of the constant themes running through the movies is Clark and Ellen’s love for one another. Though the movies saw Clark drooling over the convertible-driving Christie Brinkley, and Ellen fawning over a doting Wayne Newton, the pair always reunite, and have a passionate flair for one another. But another film in the franchise could have rocked that boat.

In a recent interview with Screen Rant while promoting her new film, Violent Night, Beverly D’Angelo chatted about the fact that before the release of the 2015 Vacation reboot, which saw a grown up Rusty (Ed Helms) taking his family on a road-trip vacation, there was a version of that film written by Michael Rosenbaum, which involved Clark and Ellen much more. D’Angelo explained:

“I think the script by Michael and Chris started with Ellen and Clark outside of a courthouse where they've just gotten divorced! But their daughter is getting married, and she's adamant that they show up in Arizona or wherever she's living, so they have to go across the country and get back together. And what's odd is: isn't that kind of the movie that George Clooney just made? Something like that?

The movie she’s referencing is Ticket to Paradise, which sees Clooney’s character opposite his ex-wife, played by Julia Roberts, who is teaming up with him to try and thwart their daughter’s plans to get married. She went on:

We saw it as, ‘Hey, it's about Clark and Ellen and that family. Don't we want to follow their story?’ But there's something about demographics, and I think they didn't want old people in it or something.”

What?! I, for one, was really disappointed that Clark and Ellen weren’t front and center in that follow-up film. I wish they would have had a deeper storyline, but oh well. Maybe sometime down the line we will see them return for another Vacation movie. Would you show up to see that? I know I would.