A Family Guy direct-to-DVD film?

[PrometheusUFO]

From VideoBusiness.com:

FAMILY GUY MAKES ITSELF AT HOME ON DVD
Surprising sales from a series that was never a hit with TV crowd

By Josef Adalian 5/20/2003


MAY 30 | It has been more than a year since Fox aired an episode of Family Guy, but the oft-controversial cartoon comedy is still making noise.

In a surprise even to producers of the show, nearly 400,000 copies of a DVD collection of Family Guy episodes have been sold since 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment shipped the three-disc set last month, according to the studio. Although nowhere near the 1 million-plus units sold of shows such as The Simpsons, Friends and Sex and the City, the number is pretty amazing considering the sitcom was never a ratings hit and aired sporadically during a good chunk of its three-year run on Fox.

What's more, repeats of Family Guy have proven to be a major hit on Cartoon Network. Earlier this month, a Thursday night repeat drew nearly as many viewers 18 to 34 as hits such as South Park and Trading Spaces and slightly outdrew MTV's hit Sorority Life 2.

Newfound buzz has even prompted talk from creator Seth MacFarlane of a direct-to-DVD feature-length Family Guy, although that's still in the early stages of discussion.

"It's all pretty insane," MacFarlane told Daily Variety. "It's certainly some vindication and a sign that the show is as popular as we always suspected."

Indeed, Family Guy bowed with a bang in a post-Super Bowl berth in 1999, but its numbers soon cooled, particularly when the show was moved to Thursday night in its second season. Fox execs, particularly entertainment chief Gail Berman, stuck by the show for three seasons but ultimately pulled the plug in 2001 (the finale episode aired early last year).

The latest success for Family Guy represents a bittersweet victory for MacFarlane.

"Fox certainly gave the show more of a chance than a lot of shows would've gotten, and we're indebted to Gail for the fact that we even got a third season," he said. "But it's also frustrating for everyone who worked on the show. We all felt it was killed before its time."

Berman's decision to order a third season of Family Guy might not have worked out for Fox Broadcasting, but it was a smart move for the News Corp. bottom line. Extra segments produced will allow Fox to put out a second volume of Family Guy episodes this fall.

It's also good news for die-hard fans, who'll finally get a chance to see an episode that never aired on Fox. The network declined to run the segment "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein" in which Peter (a.k.a. "the family guy") tries to convert his son to Judaism. n

Reported by Daily Variety for Reed Business Information

Let's hope this gets produced.

[DrDetroit]

There doesn't seem to be any place for inventive tv on the networks. Just release all the good stuff via dvd! That would make my day.

[SilentBob]

I'm sorry. Awesome news there and i hope Fox decides that maybe they should release a Family Guy movie in theaters first before a DVD release to generate buzz once again. But hell i will take the dvd movie now instead of waiting a theatrical run.

Great news and lets see if it holds up


*starts waving fist at FOX*


Oh what's the site for the story? Cause Volume One was 4 discs and not 3.

[FurryHumanBeing]

Nice! I've only recently discovered The Family Guy and thoug it was great! I'd be cool to see a movie!

[Crow331]

Wow, this is great news! I can't believe they moved that many copies already ... big success.

I love the Family Guy !! I was one of the few who actually watched this show during it's initial run.

[PrometheusUFO]

Originally posted by SilentBob
Oh what's the site for the story? Cause Volume One was 4 discs and not 3.

http://www.videobusiness.com/

You need to be a member to view thier articles though (it's free). Video Business is a free magazine to retailers from the people at Variety.

[ctoelle]

Man, this news is freakin' SWEET!

[somecompany]

I do agree with everyone that this news is kick ass but by the time MacFarlane commits himself to writing, voices then the animation work... It could be a couple of years but, yeah, we've got our DVDs to keep us entertained.

PS: If you had never heard of 'Family Guy', buy as many copies of the DVD as you can afford right now! It could help us see this movie (Or perhaps another season) as soon as possible.

[smurdleman2000]

I saw almost every episode when it originally aired. It was kind of a game to see if I could find it each week. I've got the DVD set. Aside from some video issues and the lack of commentaries which we know were recorded, its fantastic. A movie? My god, that would be sweet. Any NEW Family Guy material would be sweet.

[dork741974]

Well let me go on record that "Family Guy " has its fans and naysayers but what it boils down to is that the first week sales put family guy dvd set vol 1 &2 at number 6 in the weeks sales chart...... sorry but that accounts for something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i cant wait till september to complete my set..via dvd..(but then again iv'e got the whole series on vcd via ebay so the cut scenes are entirely intact) but if a full length (FG) would happen that would be "friggin sweet"!!! FOX has no idea of the fan base behind this series they cancelled it.....Imagine if they had the balls to air it AFTER the simpsons...but we all know that takes balls and thats something fox has not.....oh hold on diane simmins and trisha takanowa i detect a hate post coming in directly that would compare us to a show that outlived its prime "The Simpsons"......trisha?

[JimboQ]

And wouldn't it be great for Fox to put out a cd of a the songs from the show?

[jdurg]

I've stated it once and I'll state it again: Fox KILLED Family Guy by not giving it a time-slot. It wasn't a lack of interest, it wasn't poor quality. It was just the fact that you never knew when the hell it was going to air. Sometimes you'd see a commercial for a new episode the day after the episode aired. Fox tried running it up against Seinfeld and Friends, etc. during their prime. The best possible slot would have been on a Sunday night right before or after the Simpsons. However, Matt Groening had already taken up the prime spot with Futurama. There was no way that Fox was going to say no to their biggest money producer, so Family Guy died. If Family Guy were put on right after The Simpsons, it would have taken off. I will always hate Fox for that. (As well as how they bought up all these baseball rights just to turn the playoffs and Saturday afternoons into a gigantic commercial.)

[Marty McFly]

Fox totally just killed of FG.. but this is very promising. Honestly this show was absolutely brilliant. I was so saddened when it was cancelled.. but this movie should be amazing. Maybe Seth will give us a 4th season, too?

[manigrasso]

Family Guy was one of the reasons I got a TiVo in the first place, so I wouldn't have to worry about looking for it. I agree that Fox never really knew what to do with the show, how to market it-play up its controversial nature? DOWNplay it to not offend the easily offended (who wouldn't be watching Fox anyway, more than bloody likely?). If they had at least given it ONE time slot, and let it stay there-maybe with repeats on alternate nights to fill in the weaker slots where shows were quickly cancelled-it could've built up its fan base more. I'm surprised that the article doesn't mention that the show had been cancelled and then resurrected after it won two Emmys. I'm looking forward to getting the rest of the show on DVD, and I'd blind-buy a made-for-DVD movie OR even extra episodes of the show produced just for DVD if it ever happens. I'd bet they had scripts written, maybe even in preproduction, when the series was cancelled again.

[Josh Christman]

I knew this DVD was a big seller, but not big enough to spike this idea. This is great news for all FG fans who watched the show and bought the DVD set!

[John D. Moore]

This show has recently become one of my favorites.
I think maybe a disc of like 4 new episodes would work better than a feature-lenth film, but... Hell, I just want a new season in some form.
It's been extremely successful on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. They've ordered new episodes of cancelled shows before... $1 million/episode is a little pricey, but maybe?

[Charlie & Tex]

They should rename the show Flashback Guy

[JdW]

Wow, FOX has a good original idea??? Hey, I hope this isn't a sign of the apocolypse!! In any event I look forward to seeing this movie

[Damian]

I can't wait for this to happen. I've been TIVO'ing all the episodes on the Toon Network each week and suprisinly I've seen several episodes that I didn't catch in their initial run.

I hope this direct-to-DVD movie gets released. It would be so awsome if it had an audio commentary by Peter, Stewie and Brian. Wouldn't that be hilarious?

Originally posted by Damian
I hope this direct-to-DVD movie gets released. It would be so awsome if it had an audio commentary by Peter, Stewie and Brian. Wouldn't that be hilarious?

Well, on the commentaries on the current disc (even in their hacked to pieces state) Set does lapse into the various character voices. I almost rolled off the couch when "Stewie" talked about the "fuc*ing Canadians."

[Paul.n3w]

Originally posted by jdurg
The best possible slot would have been on a Sunday night right before or after the Simpsons. However, Matt Groening had already taken up the prime spot with Futurama.

Not for long, Futurama went through exactly the same thing as Family Guy only worse... it was moved over and over to different timeslots, and then 'found its place' so early on sunday night that four out of five episodes would be preempted for sports. The series had a ton of loyal of fans, but could never find when it was on. This whole last 'season' was just made up of all the preempted episodes from like the 2nd and 3rd season!

[mrcoaster]

I have discovered The Family Guy recently via many recommendations at this forum and at other DVD forums. After reading so much good word of mouth, I watched an ep on the 'Toon Network (don't ask me which one....I don't remember....all I remember was that it was hilarious!) and the next day I ran out and bought the Volume One DVD set. Haven't gotten too far into it, but I love the show and would definitely jump at the chance to pick up a feature-lenth Family Guy DVD.