IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Johnny Galecki reunites with his 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' family

Here's an early holiday present: "The Griswolds" is going forward at HBO Max!
/ Source: TODAY

Thirty years after the Griswolds changed the holidays forever with "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," a couple of presents were delivered to fans on Thursday.

For one thing, "Big Bang Theory" star Johnny Galecki, who got his big break in the 1989 goofy classic, reunited with the other Griswold family members: Chevy Chase, Diane Ladd, Beverly D'Angelo and Juliette Lewis, at a special screening at the AMPAS Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills, California.

Image: AMPAS 30th Anniversary Screening Of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"
From l.: The "National Lampoon Christmas Vacation" famiy: Johnny Galecki, Juliette Lewis, Diane Ladd, Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo at the AMPAS Samuel Goldwyn Theatre on Thursday in Beverly Hills, California.Jean Baptiste Lacroix / Getty Images

"Vacation," written by "Breakfast Club" writer-director John Hughes, followed the adventures of the hapless, clueless Clark Griswold as he and his kids Russ (Galecki) and Audrey (Lewis), plus wife Ellen (Beverly) and Clark's mother, Nora (Ladd), try to survive the holidays. This, despite problems securing a giant Christmas tree, both sets of in-laws arriving, way too many decorative lights, a lack of yearly bonus and an unusual rendering of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

But wait: there's another surprise! A "Griswolds" spinoff TV series is now in early development at HBO Max, with Galecki as an executive producer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Writer Tim Hobert ("Scrubs," "Community" and "The Middle") has been hired to write scripts.

Image: Weihnachtspersiflage mit Komiker CHEVY CHASE. Nach den Festtagen der Familie Griswold zweifelt selbst der hartnackigste Heilig-Abend-Fan an dieser Veranstaltung Foto vlnr.: Rusty (JOHNNY GALECKI), Audrey (JULIETTE LEWIS), Clark (CHEVY CHASE), Ellen
Galecki, Lewis, Chase and D'Angelo are the perfectly goofy America family in "Christmas Vacation."Alamy Stock Photo

The show is set to explore the modern-day antics of the Griswolds, who live in Chicago. For now, we don't know if any of the actors we know and love from the roles will be back, but we're delighted to be able to unwrap this gift a little early.

But remember, "Christmas Vacation" is far from the only entry in the Griswold saga. The others include "Vacation" (1983 and 2015), "European Vacation" (1985), "Vegas Vacation" (1997) plus the made-for TV "Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure" (2003).

Happy National Lampoon Christmas, everybody!