TV Roundup: Community movie still on track plus Steven Soderbergh's Red Oaks

TV Roundup: Community movie still on track plus Steven Soderbergh’s Red Oaks

July 7th 2014, 12:05pm

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Things were looking a little grim for Community once NBC cancelled the fan-favorite show after five seasons, despite its six-seasons-and-a-movie game plan. There was talk of the show continuing on Hulu, but after that fell through, everyone feared the worst. Enter Yahoo, who will take the series to the internet for its sixth season. While fans are rejoicing, Sony Pictures Television President, Zack Van Amburg, is looking towards the future.

This is what he had to say, regarding what may follow season 6:

Let’s see how our movie does! Isn’t that our plan? There’s no way we’re not making the movie now. I think once we make the movie, let’s look up and decide how much more Community the world wants. We promised six seasons and a movie, how much more do you want?… I’d be lying if I told you that we have not had some very early and preliminary conversations that are very exciting about what a potential movie could be and who might direct it.

If Veronica Mars and Blue Mountain State can get a movie, I have no doubts Community can follow through with its cinematic plans. Early reports suggest Justin Lin is first in line to direct, but I suppose fans are just happy that they’ll get a complete Community package. While I’m a big fan of Joel McHale on The Soup, I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Community. Sounds like I have some catching up to do!

While we’re on the topic of “TV on the Internet”, we may as well discuss Red Oaks, Steven Soderbergh‘s latest project. Soderbergh has been all over TV as of late, coming off the inexplicably addicting-to-watch HBO film BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, and heading into medical territory with Clive Owen in The Knick on Cinemax. Now he looks to be producing Red Oaks for Amazon.

They synopsis is as follows:

Red Oaks is set in 1985, and features college student David Myers who is both reeling from his father’s heart attack and conflicted about what major to declare in the fall. Myers gets a summer job as an assistant tennis pro at the Red Oaks Country Club in suburban New Jersey and while there, he meets a colorful cast of misfit co-workers and wealthy club members including an alluring art student named “Skye” (Alexandra Socha) and her corporate raider father “Getty” (Paul Reiser). A coming-of-age comedy set in the “go-go” 80s that is equal parts hijinks and heartfelt, Red Oaks is about enjoying a last hurrah before summer comes to an end—and the future begins.

The concept for Red Oaks was brought forth by longtime Soderbergh collaborator Gregory Jacobs, who suggested the idea during the filming of BEHIND THE CANDELABRA. Jacobs eventually wrote the script with Joe Gangemi, and passed it to Soderbergh during filming of The Knick. The rest, as they say, is history. The series pilot will be directed by David Gordon Green (PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, YOUR HIGHNESS), who will also serve as executive producer on the series. Despite his retirement from feature-films, I’m happy to see Soderbergh staying so busy, and look forward to something a little more comedic coming from him.