Community already came up with the perfect story for a potential movie through a storyline from season 5. The comedy series from Dan Harmon originally aired from 2009 to 2015. After running for five seasons, NBC canceled Community before Yahoo! Screen revived the show for a sixth and final season. While there had been rumors of a sequel movie since the show came to an end, interest has resurged due to Community currently streaming on both Hulu and Netflix.
Before Community concluded, a few members of the core study group in focus were written out of the show. With the absences of Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), and Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase), Harmon's comedy encountered a void that could not be filled. Despite their departures, Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), Annie Edison (Alison Brie), Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), and Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) remained at Greendale Community College to serve as members of the "Save Greendale Committee." In the series finale, the main characters embark on separate journeys, but it was clear that they would remain lifelong friends.
Development of a Community movie began in 2014, which was before the show officially came to an end. In the years that followed, Harmon claimed that the ball was still rolling, giving fans hope that it would eventually come to fruition. More recently, multiple cast members came out in support of a feature film, and former Community directors Joe and Anthony Russo expressed interest in taking the helm of the project. As for the synopsis of the movie, Glover was the one who mentioned a fitting storyline. During a charitable table read in May 2020, Glover pitched a movie focused on finding Troy. The actor notably exited the series in season 5 after his character left for a sailing trip. Interestingly enough, Harmon shared a similar idea at a previous San Diego Comic-Con panel.
Why Glover's Idea Would Make For The Perfect Community Movie
Following Glover's exit from the show, Community didn't often mention Troy, but it was made clear that Abed wasn't the same without his best friend around. During the table read, Glover added that it would be fitting for the movie to focus on Abed's mission to find and locate Troy. This would allow Abed to round up fellow members of the study group to go off on a special adventure. Not only would the situation call for a reunion, but it would also allow the movie to update each characters' respective lives. Community Season 5 featured a clever nod to Troy's fate, indicating that he was captured by pirates. This detail already paves the way for a shenanigan-filled journey, which is right up Community's alley.
If the Community movie does center on a Troy rescue mission, it would also need to incorporate the community college. The campus could serve as the group's headquarters as they investigate Troy's whereabouts before heading out on their journey. This way, the movie could feature familiar faces like Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) and Ben Chang (Ken Jeong). While it would be unlikely for Pierce to be involved due to his death, maybe Chase would agree to cameo for another holographic projection. Donald Glover is arguably the busiest Community cast member, but a storyline linked to his disappearance allows the actor to still return but in a limited capacity. Only time will tell what Harmon has in store for the future of Community.