Community: Joel McHale gives fans promising update about shooting schedule

The gang is back together for the much-awaited film adaptation of NBC’s hit sitcom

Community star Joel McHale has provided fans with an exciting update on the highly anticipated film adaptation of the hit series.

It has been over a year since it was announced in September 2022 that the sitcom’s promise of “six seasons and a movie” would finally come to fruition.

US streaming service Peacock shared the news seven years after the series came to an end in 2015, revealing that creator Dan Harmon would oversee the project, and that the majority of the cast would be returning for the film.

In a new interview with Deadline, McHale – who played the show’s playboy protagonist Jeff Winger – pointed to recent comments made by his co-star Donald Glover, confirming that the “script’s done”.

McHale, 52, told the interviewer that he has not read the script himself. “We go to the centre of the earth. It’s like the movie The Core,” he joked, referencing the 2003 disaster movie starring Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank.

Glover previously revealed that the film would centre on a “college reunion” with film fan character Abed Nadir (played by Danny Pudi) having become “this big director”.

On a serious note, fans will be delighted to hear that McHale said he believes the Community film will shoot “this year” – adding that he will be “shocked” if it doesn’t.

“But I really do think it’s happening this year, and probably next week,” he said. “It’s basically working around Donald’s schedule.”

Paul Drinkwater (NBC)

Having played the lovable goofball Troy Barnes on the show, Glover is perhaps the busiest original cast member of Community.

The 40-year-old is known for making his Emmy award-winning series Atlanta (2016-2022) as well as traversing the world of music as the Grammy-winning rapper Childish Gambino. Most recently, he co-wrote and starred in Amazon Prime Video’s reboot of Mr and Mrs Smith.

In July last year, after much speculation, Hale confirmed that Glover would be returning as Troy for the movie.

Donald Glover as Troy Barnes in ‘Community' (Peacock)

The actor said Glover was “coming back”, adding: “And that’s really important. The fact that we even got Donald to do it... that was the big piece.”

He also said that Shirley Bennett actor Yvette Nicole Brown would be returning for the movie. “I think everyone’s coming back. So far, we’re pretty good.”

Stars confirmed to return include McHale, Glover, Brown, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Jim Rash, and Ken Jeong.

Chevy Chase, who played millionaPierce Hawthorne, on the series will likely not be returning, with Harmon previously suggesting that it might not be “legal for him to come back”.

Chase’s time on the series was riddled with behind-the-scenes drama. The actor, 80, exited Community during its fourth season, after he allegedly made racist remarks toward Glover.

Chevy Chase as Pierce Hawthorne in ‘Community’ (NBC)

“Chevy was the first to realize how immensely gifted Donald was, and the way he expressed his jealousy was to try to throw Donald off,” Harmon told The New Yorker in 2018. “I remember apologizing to Donald after a particularly rough night of Chevy’s non-PC [politically correct] verbiage, and Donald said, ‘I don’t even worry about it.’”

In a subsequent interview on the WTF With Marc Maron podcast, Chase suggested that his departure was on his own terms.

“I honestly felt the show wasn’t funny enough for me, ultimately,” he said. “I felt a little bit constrained. Everybody had their bits, and I thought they were all good. It just wasn’t hard-hitting enough for me.”

Chase added that “felt happier being alone” and “just didn’t want to be surrounded by that table, every day, with those people” – presuambly referring to his co-stars.

Following a group of students at a community college, Community ran for 110 episodes across six seasons, airing its finale in 2015. A release date for the film is yet to be announced.