PRIME THE PUMPS! (We’re Coming Back)

The last episode of Corner Gas hit the airwaves on April 13, 2009 and was watched by the largest television audience of any Canadian scripted program in history.  It was a bitter sweet day for all of us involved.  It had been bitter sweet since the day I decided we should wrap it up and close up the pumps.  Since that time, there have been two questions that I hear wherever I go in this country.

1)   Why did you stop making Corner Gas?

2)   Is there ever going to be a Corner Gas movie?

To tackle question #1 first, as I am prone to do, my answer is this:  We had done 107 episodes, six years of filming, and I simply did not want the show to go on too long.  I did not want to see it get old and tired and stale.  It was far too special to let it just wither on the vine.  This show deserved a fate that would allow the fruit to always be sweet,… if I may be so sappy and maudlin.  But, in the back of my mind, I always knew I wanted to return one more time.

And that brings me to question #2.  The answer is “yes”.  And if the logical question #3 is “When?”… my answer is “now”.  As in “this summer”.

So let’s make it official, right here and now.  We ARE doing a Corner Gas movie.  We’ll be calling it “Corner Gas: The Movie” (a lot of late nights spent brainstorming that one) and we WILL start shooting this summer.  (Third week of June.)  And the best part about it all…?  The entire original cast is coming back to reprise their roles.  Gabrielle Miller, Fred Ewanuik, Eric Peterson, Janet Wright, Lorne Cardinal, Tara Spencer-Nairn and Nancy Robertson.  Oh, and me….don’t forget me!  I’ll be there too!  I’ll be the glib guy in the blue shirt.

Also, the original story for this script was dreamed up by me and two other Corner Gas writers, and the actual script was written by me and Andrew Carr (one of the original writers on all six seasons) along with a nice, talented guy named Andrew Wreggit, who helped us transform a short-form show into a feature length movie.  And the director of the movie will be the TV show’s key director – David Storey!  Executive Producers will be the original execs; me and David Storey and Virginia Thompson!  So if you were a fan of the original tone and the original jokes, you’re going to like the movie.

Thanks for all your support over the years, and all the kindness you’ve shown Corner Gas.  Feel free to help us out in spreading the word about the movie by telling your friends.  Tell your co-workers.  Hell… tell your enemies too!!! And…

FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION ON TWITTER: @CornerGas

CHECK OUT THE NEW WEBSITE: cornergasthemovie.com

CHECK OUT OUR SPECIAL KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN HERE: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1776228079/corner-gas-the-movie

3 Comments

Tim Teusink, M.D.

This is the most exciting movie news in the entire history of the universe!

Marthe Bijman

Dear Mr. Butt

I’m so glad you’re doing this! If you were ever to publish the scripts of the TV series in book form, I would buy them in a shot! I am such a big fan of Corner Gas, that I analyzed it from a literary and cultural point of view on my blog, since, as a new arrival in Canada, I was intrigued by the particular humour in it.

Please, won’t you consider publishing the original scripts? I’m sure the fans like me would appreciate the writing even more if they could pore over the words and re-read them again at leisure.

Best wishes – and congratulations on getting the movie off the ground.
Marthe Bijman
http://www.sevencircumstances.com

Irene Hamilton

YES! Corner Gas movie. I will spread the news big time! I have completed a pilot script called SENIOR SHENANIGANS. Somehow I need to get it to Brent’s agent. Following Corner Gas brought Senior Shenanigans to life.

I need to check the new website.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *