Chevy Chase Back in the Holiday Spotlight: New Documentary, Live Q&As, and “Christmas Vacation” Screenings

Comedian and actor Chevy Chase is having a late-year surge of attention as the holidays arrive. In recent days, a new feature documentary unveiled its first trailer ahead of a New Year’s Day premiere, while Chase continues a nationwide circuit of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” screenings paired with onstage conversations. He also made news by reflecting candidly on a formative career decision: leaving the sketch show that launched him—something he now calls a mistake.

A new documentary takes stock of Chevy Chase’s legacy

The forthcoming film—titled “I’m Chevy Chase, And You’re Not”—traces his path from counterculture comedy and the birth of late-night sketch TV to breakout film stardom in the 1980s. The trailer emphasizes two through-lines: his knack for physical comedy (the pratfalls that became a signature) and the complicated relationships that followed the highs of fame. The release plan positions the film as a New Year’s conversation-piece, landing just as audiences wrap a season that reliably resurrects Chase’s holiday classic.

Notably, the trailer includes Chase acknowledging that exiting his breakthrough TV show so early was an error—a refrain he has rarely voiced so directly. For fans who only know the highlight reel, the film promises fresh archival material and present-day interviews that grapple with both the brilliance and the bumps.

Holiday tours keep “Christmas Vacation” front and center

Parallel to the documentary buzz, Chase is anchoring live Q&A events that pair a big-screen showing of “Christmas Vacation” with an onstage chat and audience questions. The format has become a seasonal staple: fans arrive in ugly sweaters, relive the Griswold chaos, then hear behind-the-scenes stories about the shoot, the stunts, and the enduring quotability. Multiple venues have listed late November and early December dates, with additional stops expected to pop up as theaters finalize holiday calendars.

Why this works: “Christmas Vacation” is cross-generational comfort food. The film’s modest, home-bound stakes and practical-gag humor age well; seeing it with a crowd restores the timing and laughter a living room can’t replicate. The post-film chats give Chase space to blend raconteur mode with self-deprecation—an angle that dovetails neatly with the introspective tone of the new documentary.

What Chase’s “SNL” hindsight reveals now

Chase’s admission that leaving the show was a mistake lands differently in 2025 than it might have years ago. First, the sketch institution he helped define is now a 50-year cultural touchstone, which makes early departures look, in hindsight, like missed long-haul opportunities. Second, the evolution of television—where long tenures can coexist with film—suggests that staying might not have precluded the later movie run. The commentary also humanizes him: the career calculus of a 1970s breakout star looks more fragile and less inevitable when viewed through today’s lenses.

For the industry, that candor is instructive. It highlights how timing, relationships, and patience can matter as much as raw talent. For fans, it provides a tidy frame: the documentary isn’t just a victory lap; it’s an attempt to reconcile myths with memories.

Why the renewed attention matters

• Seasonal resonance: Each winter resurrects Chase’s best-known role, providing a natural runway for any new project.

• Archival revival: The documentary era has re-centered veteran performers by curating their work for younger viewers who met them via memes and holiday reruns.

• Live-event momentum: Theatrical Q&As turn nostalgia into ticketed community—something both cinemas and performers value in a streaming-saturated market.

What to watch next

• Premiere day details: Expect final run-times, additional teaser clips, and a refined schedule as the documentary’s debut approaches on January 1.

• Added tour stops: More theaters often announce December Q&As as ticket demand becomes clear; keep an eye on venue calendars if nearby dates sell out.

• Broader cast cameos: As buzz builds, look for contemporaries and co-stars to surface with their own stories, enriching the oral history around early late-night sketch and 1980s studio comedies.

Chevy Chase is stepping into the holidays with fresh visibility—a reflective new documentary, active “Christmas Vacation” screenings with live conversations, and a rare public admission about the choice that shaped his career. For longtime fans and curious newcomers alike, it’s a timely invitation to revisit the pratfalls, the punchlines, and the person behind them.