The Holdovers gets an imaginative poster for a hypothetical sequel parodying the style of National Lampoon's Vacation. Similar to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Holdovers has been labeled a Christmas classic. The Alexander Payne-directed film follows lonely and irritable Barton school teacher Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), who gets stuck babysitting the students left behind on campus over winter break but soon forms an unlikely bond with a troubled student and grieving mother. Though it's a standalone film, that hasn't stopped its premise and brilliant lead trio from garnering some hypothetical sequel fan art.
Le Cinéphiles took to X, formerly Twitter, to share a speculative The Holdovers 2 poster inspired by the second film in the National Lampoon's Vacation series.
The poster imagines Hunham, Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), and Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) taking another trip over the holidays, but this time to Europe. Hence, instead of National Lampoon's European Vacation, it would be The Holdovers 2: European Vacation. This hypothetical poster also posits that the Payne film would follow the Christmas comedy series format, featuring a new destination for each subsequent movie.
Will The Holdovers Ever Get a Sequel?
Although there's no evidence that National Lampoon inspired The Holdovers, the imaginative poster does highlight a few humorous coincidences between the two. After all, part of Payne's film does resemble the film series' premise with Hunham, Tully, and Lamb heading off on an impromptu vacation to Boston, which then takes an unexpected turn and has some disastrous consequences for Hunham. Still, though, Payne's film is much more cinematic and goes far deeper into sophisticated themes of loneliness and human connection.
One of the main allures of The Holdovers, though, is the chemistry and performances of the lead trio. All three actors, from breakout star Sessa to seasoned actors Giamatti and Randolph, add incredible depth and humanity to their complex characters. There is both humor and emotion in their journey to bonding. As commenters on Le Cinéphiles poster noted, some viewers wouldn't mind an entire film series watching the iconic trio going on more chaotic and impactful trips.
However, it functions well as a standalone film, especially since The Holdovers has a nearly perfect ending. It sees the result of three humans fundamentally changing due to their connection. After what he learned from Lamb and Tully, Hunham is content to leave behind his school's restraints, sacrificing his job with the knowledge that he has fulfilled his purpose as a teacher and changed Tully's life. While it's fun to imagine The Holdovers getting the National Lampoon's Vacation treatment, the modern Christmas classic is too close to perfection to risk tainting its legacy with a sequel.
