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ABC is moving forward with its Chevy Chase-Beverly D’Angelo comedy.
The network and ABC Studios have handed out a script commitment with a penalty attached to the family comedy reuniting the stars of National Lampoon’s Vacation, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
First announced in January, the comedy vehicle from Aaron Kaplan was eyed for the 2015-16 season with no studio or script attached. Brad Copeland (My Name Is Earl, Grounded for Life, Arrested Development) has boarded the comedy and will write the script and exec produce.
The untitled comedy will reunite the Vacation stars — aka Clark and Ellen Griswold — and see the duo again playing a married couple whose golden years are interrupted after circumstances beyond their control force them to raise their grandchildren. It’s based on an original idea by Vacation fan Kaplan, who exec produces the single-camera comedy via his Kapital Entertainment shingle.
Should the comedy move forward, it would mark Chase’s return to series television following his headline-making exit from Dan Harmon‘s Community.
For D’Angelo, the project comes after she guest-starred on CBS’ Kaplan comedy Friends With Better Lives earlier this year. Her TV credits include HBO’s Entourage.
The family comedy also comes as New Line’s reboot/remake of Vacation is poised to begin filming next week. Both Chase and D’Angelo have cameos in the feature, which stars Ed Helms as Rusty Griswold, Clark’s grown-up son, and Christina Applegate as Rusty’s wife.
For Kaplan, meanwhile, the Chase-D’Angelo comedy marks his latest sale this development season. He also has ABC’s Eve comedy, set up in January for this development season, and projects at Fox, Spike TV, CBS and NBC.
The deal expands Kaplan’s relationship with ABC, which will air Australian remake Secrets & Lies come midseason.
Copeland is repped by UTA. Chase is with APA and LINK. D’Angelo is with ICM Partners.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
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