“Six seasons and a movie”, said Abed Nadir on Community, a quote which became so embedded in the sitcom that it is the closing words of the show. Over the years the American TV show has gained a cult following as well as achieving critical success - but no movie has surfaced.
Community is famed for chaotic plots, paintball epics and meta comedy, and fans have eagerly awaited the rumoured movie since the sitcom ended in 2015. Finally, this much awaited day could be on the horizon, says creator Dan Harmon.
"I will now say it's a matter of 'when.' I have been so careful about [saying] that," Harmon said in an interview with Newsweek. He explained that a pitch for the movie was "out in the world" but was also quick to manage expectations.
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The cult hit starred the likes of Donald Glover, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, and Gillian Jacobs as well as cameos from Hollywood heavy hitters such as the late, great Betty White. Community was a whimsical show which focused on the exploits of a study group at Greendale Community College and ran from 2009 to 2015.
As the sixth season, which aired on the since dissolved Yahoo! Screen, came to an end, fans saw the words “...and a movie'' etched in black and white. Harmon, along with the cast, has been routinely asked about this promise for seven years now.
Harmon said: "How about this for a concrete thing? There is an outline for it. There's a product put together and pitched out in the world. I guess that's how real it is." This is the first indication that fans have been given to solidify the dream of a film.
However, the creator of Rick and Morty explained that this could still be a long way off and does not mean an imminent release is around the corner. Cast members have, though, shared how keen they would be to return to Greendale.
Joel McHale, who played Jeff Winger, said in 2021: "It's one of those things where we want to make it and people are like 'OK.' And then, you know, it's one of those things where it hopefully will get done." Alison Brie, known as Annie Edison to fans, also wants movie to happen.
In an interview with Schon magazine in 2022, Brie said: "I never like speculating about the Community plot because Dan Harmon is such a genius... but how could we not address the Annie and Jeff situation." With puppet episodes and timeline crossovers already under the show’s belt, the sky really is the limit for the movie’s plot.
The success of Community can be felt not just in fans' love for it but also in the many memes, such as the “it’s December 10th” gif which circulates yearly. Community pushed the boundaries of sitcoms and experimented with formats, plots and character archetypes to create a truly unique show.
So far the fact that a movie even exists is all that has been confirmed but fans took to Twitter to celebrate the news. One said: “At this point the movie could be garbage and I wouldn't really care because I'm just so desperate to see these characters together one more time #sixseasonsandamovie”
Others made their wishes known asking for the return of Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover, who was a central figure in early seasons. The rapper, actor and director left the show in season five and it is often said that this was the beginning of the end for the show.
While Community never had a massive viewership, those it did have were loyal and remain so to this day. It paved the way for other modern sitcoms and it is no surprise that fans eagerly rewatch the six seasons and wait patiently for a movie.
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