The Real Reason We Haven't Seen A Community Movie Yet
Long before the classic sitcom series "Community" ended, fans have been pining for nothing less than "six seasons and a movie." The phrase gained major traction within the fanbase, and persists as a popular hashtag even now, six years after the show's final cancellation. And while fans received that much-desired sixth season when Yahoo! picked the series up in 2015, they have yet to see a movie.
Even so, "Community" fans have not let up. It seems the prospect of a movie is just too good for them to pass on. Creator Dan Harmon, along with the series' ever-popular cast, are often asked about the potential for a "Community" movie to this day. Unfortunately, these requests have gone unrewarded.
This is a bit perplexing, given the fan fervor. There is clearly a sizable audience for such a film. And where there is an audience, there is money to be made. For many companies, that alone is enough to justify a green light. According to Dan Harmon, however, the real reason we haven't seen a "Community" movie yet isn't financial, it's creative.
Dan Harmon thinks making a decent 'Community' movie would be difficult
Harmon recently touched on the topic of a "Community" movie in an episode of Vulture's "Good One Podcast." The mind behind "Community" has kept himself busy in the years following the show's cancellation. As one half of the duo responsible for "Rick and Morty," you might think that Harmon has more pressing things to think about. Despite this, Harmon admitted that "I am, at least once a week, thinking about it." This is because the prospect of a "Community" movie itself raises some deep questions.
"Here's the biggest philosophical question," Harmon told Vulture. "Are you supposed to service a mythical new viewer? The obvious, dogmatic, practical, off-the-street answer is like, No, you don't. It's fan service. Why would there be a 'Community' movie? Who do you think is going to walk in off the street and buy popcorn and sit and watch a 'Community' movie like that? They deserve to be punished. Why are they doing that?"
In spite of this, Harmon knows he can't just make something that treads old ground.
"Formalistically, you owe a movie that I think the fans can not only enjoy, but they can stand back and go, You know, the crazy thing about this Community movie is that if you didn't know there was a show, this is an insanely good movie. There's a reason to watch it and then definitely watch the series because now you're like, Holy c**p."
Despite his reservations, Harmon knows a movie might still happen
Beyond postulating the trials that come with reviving a long-dead series for a fan-service film, Harmon's thoughts are enough to make you question why he is dedicating so much brain power to this. After all, he has "never done anything for free." So why would he start now? Well, according to Harmon, him creating the "Community" movie is still a distinct possibility.
"There is, like ... a thing is happening. Logistically, the locks are coming away. And the only problems are becoming the creative ones, which is great, because I love those problems. I love having these conversations, and they're being had."
Harmon isn't the only one considering creating the film, either. Much of "Community's" cast, including Joel McHale, are down to give fans exactly what they've been asking for all these years. That being said, nothing official has been confirmed yet, but the willingness of the show's creators should give the "Community" community a glimmer of hope for the future of their beloved series.