Joel McHale reveals ‘Community’ cast member “isn’t allowed” to appear in upcoming movie
Community star Joel McHale has confirmed Chevy Chase is not set to appear in the upcoming spin-off movie, set to begin filming later this year.
Chase appeared in the first four seasons of the hit sitcom, but left under a cloud following disagreements with cast mates and the show’s director, Dan Harmon. Since his departure, Chase has spoke on many occasions about his displeasure while working on the programme, and explained why he felt it was necessary to leave.
Over recent months, more details have emerged about his behaviour on set and the friction with McHale, who admitted to dislocating Chase’s shoulder during an altercation. On the Inside of You podcast, he said of his former co-star: “This was not a prison sentence. We were not conscripted into a war. You were being paid a lot of money and getting free food all day long, so you could just walk away.”
Understandably, there are no plans for Chase to revive his character, Pierce Hawthorne, with McHale telling the New York Post: “I don’t think he’s allowed to. I don’t think it would happen. I’m guessing if you asked him, he wouldn’t be interested. Obviously his unceremonious departure in Season 4 pretty much did that in.”
The final nail in the coffin regarding Chase’s future with Community came in 2023, when he appeared on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, and claimed the show didn’t meet his comedic standards: “I honestly felt the show wasn’t funny enough for me, ultimately. 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.”
He added: “I didn’t mind the character. I just felt that it was… I felt happier being alone. I just didn’t want to be surrounded by that table, every day, with those people. It was too much.”
Although Chase won’t be involved in the upcoming movie, Donald Glover is poised to return as Troy Barnes. He recently confirmed: “I was told that the script — literally, I was texting today — I was told that the script was done.”
While scheduling had been an issue previously, Glover stated, “I’m in. I’m all in.”
In response to Glover’s comments, Harmon said in a fresh update: “I can confirm Donald Glover’s report that I told him the script was done,” he said. “But I will also say Donald’s sources are so unreliable because the script is always ‘almost done.’”
Although filming is still yet to commence, after years of seemingly endless speculation, the wheels are now firmly in motion for Harmon to deliver the perfect send-off for the iconic sitcom, even if Chase isn’t hopping aboard for the journey.
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