‘Community’ Movie Talk Reportedly Happening With Justin Lin Considered To Direct
It looks like the one-time gag, “six seasons and a movie” could actually be a very real thing. The NBC comedy “Community,” which has never grown beyond a devoted cult fan base, always teetering on the edge of being canceled due to low ratings, could actually make it to the big screen. At least if this latest report is in any way accurate.
According to TV Guide, “Community” may see a thirteen-episode sixth season, if only because NBC—the one time kings of Thursday night sitcoms—can’t seem to launch a new comedy to save their life. And this has already led to some optimistic talk of that dreamed about movie, with Justin Lin—who has directed several episodes—”considered” to direct. But we can’t stress enough how preliminary this all seems, and how much it hangs on the caprices NBC, schedules and lord knows what else.
From a purely practical point of view, Lin is hugely busy, not only with “Bourne 5” dropping next summer, but with dozens of projects he has kicking around including the futuristic thriller “Hibernation,” manga adaptation “Lone Wolf & Club”, and sci-fi comedy “Subdivision,” a special ops thing for Warner Bros., a big budget remake of “The Shaolin Temple” and the gritty drama “Times Square.” Does he have the time to take on the movie version of a TV show? Or the interest?
And one has to wonder how the recent theatrical dud that was “Veronica Mars” (granted, it was only in a few hundred theaters, but it barely made a blip) will factor into the equation. We don’t see NBC or Sony (who are co-producers on the show) throwing too big a pile of money after a “Community” movie, given that the return will be minimal. This is something that’s gonna play straight to the core and not much further, despite how passionate everyone is about it.
Plenty of TV shows have had ardent movie talk (“Party Down,” “Friday Night Lights“) and lots of “we’re-going-to-make-this-come-hell-or-high-water” pronouncements, only to never materialize. So basically, keep it in your pants for now, and let’s see if “Community” can pass the first hurdle: getting officially renewed for season six.
