Community: Dan Harmon opens up about the long-gestating and “truly terrifying” follow-up film

Before the strikes brought Hollywood to a near-standstill, Dan Harmon, co-writer Andrew Guest, and Joel McHale pitched a Community movie, which Peacock gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. The film revolves around the Community gang reuniting for a Greendale Community College reunion, finally making good on the comedy’s promise of “six seasons and a movie.”

Harmon and Guest met at The Smoke House in early 2020, with Guest agreeing to board the long-gestating project. The duo’s first order of business was to determine who would return for the fan-craved feature.

“It became a very lengthy process because we wanted to include as much of the cast that wanted to be included and therefore needed to know who was interested before we knew what the movie was going to be,” recalls Guest while speaking with The Hollywood Reporter. “Because if we’re just making a movie with Jim Rash and Joel McHale, there’s a movie there, but we need to figure that out sooner rather than later.”

Thankfully, everyone except Chevy Chase was game to return. With McHale, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, and Yvette Nicole Brown ready to enroll in the follow-up film, the difficult task of syncing schedules could begin. While scenes could be shot individually if all were not available to share screen time, Harmon insists on having everyone present for that sweet Community chemistry.

“Because the thing that’s going to matter most to me as an audience member or to anybody who loved that show is seeing those people see each other,” Harmon says. “And they still love each other, and it’s not going to feel the same if you’re shooting them separately at different months in different locations.”

However, with the strikes throwing everything out of whack, Harmon is concerned about getting the band back together after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA smoke has cleared. “By the time we can re-coordinate, what are the odds that everyone’s schedule is going to once again align?”

Harmon is thinking about more than the stars. He’s also concerned about pleasing fans of the series. The Community movie carries tremendous hype on its shoulders, and Harmon does not want to screw it up. “I hate to say how terrified I am to do it wrong, because there’s a part of me that knows that that fear cannot possibly result in a good thing,” Harmon confesses. “And you’re not going to get anywhere doing an impression of what you think you should do or what you think they want, but I really don’t want to do it wrong, and it is truly terrifying.”

Do you think Harmon should be concerned about fans judging the Community movie too harshly? What’s your idea of a fantastic reunion for the Greendale gang? How many costume changes do you anticipate coming from Jim Rash’s Dean Pelton? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.