Community Movie Co-Writer: “We got very close to shooting in 2023”; Film Still Planned
Fans hoping to see the long-promised Community movie finally may have to wait a little longer, after one of the project’s writers revealed the latest reason for the delay.
Speaking on The Ringer podcast The Watch, co-writer Andrew Guest explained that the film came extremely close to entering production in 2023 before running into another logistical hurdle. According to Guest, the team had a script ready in place as the 2023 Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes were coming to an end, with the cast ready and eager to begin filming. However, plans quickly fell apart when one actor’s schedule unfortunately conflicted with the planned production window.
The long-awaited movie, based on the cult NBC sitcom Community, has been in development for several years following the show’s 2015 finale and its famous promise of six seasons and a movie. The project was officially ordered by Peacock in 2022 with series creator Dan Harmon co-writing the script alongside Guest, and much of the original cast, including Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong, all expected to return. Guest also noted that while some productions (such as Arrested Development) have historically worked around cast availability by filming actors separately, that approach simply wouldn’t work for them.
The series’ appeal, he said, comes from the chemistry of the ensemble sharing scenes together, particularly around the familiar Greendale study table. As a result, the filmmakers want to ensure the entire group can be present during filming rather than piecing scenes together individually.
The project has already faced several setbacks. Initial plans aimed to begin filming in 2023, but the industry-wide strikes halted progress and pushed the timeline back while the script underwent further revisions. Despite the delays, the film remains a priority for those involved. Guest emphasised that the cast are enthusiastic about returning, but their busy schedules continue to make aligning production dates a challenge. For now, the movie remains in development as the team searches for a window where the Greendale gang can reunite on screen at the same time.
If and when that happens, fans may finally get to see the long-awaited final piece of the Community puzzle!
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