Have you seen one of those viral posts promising a Christmas Vacation sequel this holiday season? Could it be that Chevy Chase might electrocute himself once again in pursuit of being the jolliest house on the block? Fans got their hopes up after seeing promises like this one on Facebook, Reddit, Threads, and other social media:
The poster promises more Griswold fun, with a message that reads: “CHRISTMAS VACATION REDUX!!! DECEMBER!!! Get ready for holiday chaos like never before in National Lampoon Christmas Vacation Redux. Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo return as the Griswolds, now retired and determined to celebrate their first Christmas of freedom until the whole gang shows up to turn their quiet plans into pure pandemonium. Streaming this December on Amazon Prime Video, it’s the reunion you’ve been waiting for with twice the laughs and all the holiday spirit.”
Given all the Christmas Vacation crap Chase is hawking on his website, it’s easy to believe he signed up for another go-round with Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid and the gang. They already get together for fan conventions in civic centers around America — why not film a few scenes as long as everyone is in the same room?
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But alas, say the professional party-poopers at Snopes: Christmas Vacation Redux is a hoax. (One obvious hint: The image is from a Chase TV commercial for an electric car.) The original post came from a social media account called YODA BBY ABY, which has a profile that reads: “I’m just here to eat frogs, lift rocks and be satirical. The page is 100% satire and fake news.” Womp womp.
For some reason, phony holiday sequels are a favorite among Internet pranksters. Snopes has called “fake!” on others in recent years, including a Polar Express prequel (Coming to Max on December 20th, The Christmas Express is a heartwarming holiday story you won’t want to miss. Tom Hanks stars as Woodford Newton, a dedicated train conductor whose life changes forever after a fateful encounter leads him to become the guiding force behind the Polar Express) and Elf 2 (Elf 2 is here, and Buddy the Elf is bringing double the holiday cheer. When Miles Finch creates AI-powered BuddyBots using Buddy’s likeness, the festive robots take over Christmas with hilarious, over-the-top antics. Get ready for a wild, heartwarming ride in this new holiday classic, streaming on MAX this December).
Not surprisingly, all three of the fake holiday movies come from YODA BBY ABY, an account that apparently has nothing better to do than mess with people’s beloved holiday memories.
If you’re really hungry for a Chevy Chase/Randy Quaid holiday reunion, Cracked will remind you once more about The Christmas Letter, an actual movie “starring” both actors.
That movie’s poster is nearly as misleading as Christmas Vacation Redux’s, as the two veteran comedy actors only deliver brief cameos in the film despite top billing. It’s a marketing switcheroo that would make YODA BBY ABY proud.