The Community movie will finally fulfill the series’ promise of “six seasons and a movie,” but the film could also initiate a wave of sitcom revivals as streaming movies. The streaming era has been filled with revivals and reboots of classic series, often short-lived or underwhelming to fans. However, the Community movie could create a template for other beloved shows to follow. If successful, the movie could even lead to multiple returns to Greendale Community College.
Officially announced in September 2022 after almost a decade of speculation, the Community movie will be a feature-length Peacock original written by series creator Dan Harrmon, with confirmed returning Community cast members including Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, and Alison Brie. “Six seasons and a movie” was long a rallying cry among the series’ fans amidst Community‘s near-constant battle against cancelation, and Peacock’s decision to make a movie instead of a seventh season will finally fulfill this dream. The streaming movie could also set a precedent for future projects.
Community was actually one of the first series to receive a streaming revival, with season 6 airing on the short-lived Yahoo Screen platform. The reason why Community didn’t continue after this season was in large part due to the increased prominence of the cast outside the show, which would have made it too expensive to bring everyone back for a regular series. Harmon moved from Community onto Rick and Morty, which became more commercially successful than Community, whose cast subsequently became regulars on other series. A scene in the Community season 6 finale, where Jeff imagines a study group consisting of mostly random supporting characters, reflects on what would have become of Community had it continued, despite shedding cast members.
Compared to a full-blown series revival, a movie is easier for Harmon and the cast to fit into their schedule, allowing Community to be even more ambitious in its plots and visual approach. While the Community movie is currently positioned as a one-off, if it becomes a big streaming success on Peacock, it’s not that hard to imagine streaming movies checking in on the cast every few years. British series like Downton Abbey and Absolutely Fabulous have long used movies and specials to extend a series’ lifespan, and South Park has embraced movie-length specials on Paramount+. Peacock has even dipped its toes into such projects before with two Psych sequel movies. If the Community movie is a major success for the streamer, it could open the floodgates for more movie-length sitcom projects going forward.
Is Peacock Interested In Bringing Back The Office Or Parks & Rec?
Ever since the launch of Peacock, which made the streaming rights to The Office a central part of its platform, there has been speculation about possible revivals of The Office and Parks & Rec. The two shows aired on the same night as Community for several seasons along with 30 Rock, in what was perhaps the last great network TV block, so a successful Community movie would naturally draw comparisons. Given the enduring popularity of these comedies, Peacock has surely at least considered revivals or reunions, especially considering the interest generated by the Friends reunion on HBO Max. The Office and Parks and Rec have more big-name stars involved than Community, which could present difficulties, but they could also attract a much bigger audience
Peacock has struggled to make a dent in the crowded streaming market, and one of the major reasons why is a dearth of big-name franchises. In comparison with other media giants like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, Peacock owner NBCUniversal lacks blockbuster IP – but it does have decades of “Must-See TV,” from when NBC dominated the ratings. If the Community movie is a success, it could point towards a possible path forward for Peacock in presenting movie-length revivals of classic sitcoms. The streamer thus has a lot more riding on the Community movie than it may appear.