Show Creator Hints at a 'Gilmore Girls' Movie
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, RumorMonger, Fandom, Newsstand
Few shows have earned as much real estate in my heart as the wonderful WB/CW sitcom Gilmore Girls. Maybe it's the pretentious pop culture devourer in me. Or the hopeless romantic who always wished (and still does) that Rory would ditch Dean and Logan and run off into the sunset with her One True Love, Jess. (Sorry, are you on Team Dean? I will fight you. Team Jess forever!) No show has had as much love for its smart, sassy women, or packed as many caffeine-fueled zingers and indie rock cameos into the span of an hour, than this lovely small town fantasy set in Stars Hollow, CT.
And yet, despite my overwhelming love for Gilmore Girls, I had major issues with the last few seasons. To be honest, I didn't watch the final episode simply out of spite. But apparently I'm not alone; show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino hasn't watched the entire last season! Major burn!
Sherman-Palladino, who left the show in 2006 along with her husband and fellow producer, Daniel Palladino, revealed her lost hopes for Rory and Lorelai Gilmore in a recent interview with EW's Michael Ausiello (who, incidentally, should be commended for continuing to wage a fact-finding mission into the defunct series even years after it ended). While Sherman-Palladino would only say that she "wanted different things for Rory," she explained that she's keeping her intended arcs for Rory and Co. secret for a very good reason: "If there is a movie in the making, I'm going to be basically delving back into where I left off."
That's right. We're talking about a Gilmore Girls movie.
If Gilmore Girls: The Movie becomes a possibility, I'm all for Sherman-Palladino giving us a more satisfying coda than Rory choosing between Logan's proposal and having her own career, and Lorelai bouncing between her ex and the man who serves her coffee. These are not the kind of paths I wanted them to follow, either. I'd wager die-hard Gilmore fans might agree.
And then there's the issue of TV-to-film adaptations that don't always work. Borat? Great. Sex and the City? Shallow. But for Gilmore Girls, I'd be willing to put my reservations aside – and goodness knows Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel have struggled to find anything better since the show ended. Milo Ventimiglia, on the other hand... well, he'll just have to take a break from Heroes, because a Gilmore Girls movie without Jess would be no Gilmore Girls movie at all.
What do you think, Gilmore fans? Would you want to see Rory and Lorelai hit the big screen? Just for you Jess fans, revisit one of my favorite scenes from Jess and Rory's early days, when she ditches school to come see him in New York (featuring a cameo by SoCal rock fixture Chuck E. Weiss):
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-16-2009 @ 9:22PM
Craig said...
First get the spelling right it's Lorelai with an 'ai' on the end not 'ei'!
Now to the TV movie I just hope Amy doesn't screw up Luke and Lorelai again or god forbids she brings Chris back into the mix or re-writes the last season history, as much as I hate it.
Start off from the last ep, give the fans the wedding/marriage they wanted and bring Rory back home for the occasion.
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11-16-2009 @ 9:23PM
Jen Yamato said...
Oh Craig, how right you are. About everything - Lorelai, the abysmal Chris storyline, everything. :) Fixed.
11-21-2009 @ 8:20PM
Beth said...
A movie has unlimited plot potential. Perhaps, the loss of one grandparent. Dean could come back as a college graduate and town cop. Dean would then have the confidence to attract Rory. He had a tenderness for Rory that plays well on camera. Now, instead of chasing her, she could fight for him. She could return as a teacher at Chilton for a break from the road.
11-23-2009 @ 2:36PM
jn said...
i want rory to marry logan
11-16-2009 @ 9:27PM
Andrew said...
If Sam Phillips is scoring it, I'm good for at least 20 in-theater viewings.
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11-16-2009 @ 9:39PM
Claire said...
It would be nice to see what Rory is doing 5 years later (it's been that long now hasn't it?). She did leave to follow the Obama campaign. I do prefer Jess, but it would be nice to see her with a more worthy new boyfriend. Jess did fuck it up royally. It would be nice to see Lorelai not fuck it up with Luke in the end as well (she always made such stupid decisions with men).
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11-22-2009 @ 5:51PM
Kelleigh said...
Here's what i think. I think that a Gilmore movie should dffinitely happen. And i don't want Rory with a new guy. I think she should end up with Jess or Tristan. I think if they brought Tristan back that would be so amazing, because they would have neen an awesome couple. And Luke and Lorelai have o be married. And this movie cannot have ANY april. She sucked. And I must know Amy Sherman Palladino's last four lines. It's killing me. Ity wasn't right to end a show without the original writer or creator because form the start you usually know where you will end up and she didnt finish it. There wwere lose ends that were tried to be tied up but really werent. I do not want a new guy for rory though. She doesnt need a new guy, the movie wouldnt be as good.
11-16-2009 @ 9:38PM
shane said...
I was definately Team Dean. Couldn't stand Jess.
Would like to see them try to make up for the horrible last season. I'm all for it.
Also how dare you spell Lorelai wrong. It's such a common name, how could you spell it wrong. So stupid. You spelt iit worng. I still can't believe it. Gggggrrrrrrhhhhh
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11-16-2009 @ 9:42PM
Jen Yamato said...
I know I'm still atoning for my Lorelai slip up, but that's fine. I'm into self flagellation - I watched most of Season 7, after all! (Zing)
Regarding Teams Dean vs. Jess - Jess messed up, yes, but Dean was SO BORING. Jess was exciting and intelligent and hot and they connected on such a more compelling level than Rory + Dean or Rory + Logan. Anyways, when Jess came back after going off to become a writer you got a sense that he had matured, and I'd like nothing more than for Rory to move to New York to live with him, the both of them successful working writers in their respective fields. Sigh.
11-17-2009 @ 4:11AM
shane said...
I was just being sarcastic about the spelling mistake. I could care less.
As a male I don't understand the attraction to the bad boy. Jess was just a douche in my eyes. Dean was boring but he seem to put a lot more effort in his affection towards Rory.
11-20-2009 @ 3:16AM
jim said...
I'm with Shane. I long for the wonderful innocent days of Rory and Dean before Jess came along and screwed everything up. I guess it's true that nice guys finish last on TV even more than real life.
11-17-2009 @ 9:01AM
Claire said...
Amy has been saying that bit about being unresolved forever. When she left and the show switched the the CW and at the end of the series there was too much bad blood amongst too many people.
I am a HUGE fan of the show. I probably watched all seven episodes at least ten times. But I feel negatively towards this. A movie would be great. I would love it. All I want is more GG in my life, don't get me wrong. But it's been so long since this show has been on air, let alone watchable, that it would be a straight to TV movie or straight to DVD. This said, the quailty of whatever it could be would surely suck.
On the other hand if it happens Jess better be there and I agree there has to be a wedding of some sort. And so help me god I will go nuts on everyone's ass if April even so much as makes a cameo. She is what's wrong with the world.
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11-17-2009 @ 9:04AM
Claire said...
Jess was a douche. I hated him at first too. But when you watch it closer and you realize the subtitles of his character you see that he was the best for her. When he first started he was immature, as Jen said. but he also always had that hope in him, you knew he could do better. When he came back to Stars Hollow, it was his choice. If anything, Rory turned out to be the asshole in the situation. I never thought that Milo was a good actor until I noticed the small facial gestures he would make that showed you he was smart and he loved Rory and was only acting out for attention and whathaveyou.
Jess FTW
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11-17-2009 @ 3:26PM
Jen Yamato said...
Yes! Well said. Jess was the only boy who ever really knew Rory. Even Logan was oblivious to how awesome she was. And really, Milo Ventimiglia showed his chops in that role - it was subtle, funny, smart, sexy, and you always hoped that things would work out for them, right from the beginning. I still do!
I'll consider watching the last few eps now... but I'd rather just watch Gilmore Girls: The Jess Years over again. :)
11-17-2009 @ 10:12AM
Juke Early said...
If Amy Palladino captures the spirit that made GG fly in S1, I should hope to live long enough to see a Gilmore feature film. However, they need to walk that nano-thin line between making the characters caricatures of themselves. I just don't believe this will get a greenlight---too many people want it. Just maybe not enough of them for suits.
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11-17-2009 @ 6:03PM
Paige said...
I'm all for Team Jess! I was okay with Dean but Logan just no. I'd love to see A Gilmore Girls movie if not a movie then atleast a book would be nice. The show needed a real ending specifically ASP's. I'd like to know those 4 final words we've been hearing so much about (or not hearing about in this case).
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11-17-2009 @ 3:21PM
Kerry said...
I was totally Team Jess. Dean was a milquetoast. What Rory needed was a boy who saw her completely and Jess SAW her.
The last few seasons were lacking, especially when Lorelai and Rory weren't speaking. . .that was awful! GG is all about the mother/daughter banter and without it, each episode fell flat.
I did feel the last three episodes of the series were a decent ending. I loved when Lorelai sang I Will Always Love You at Karaoke, and Luke walked in and she was suddenly singing to him. Great scene.
You should definitely watch the finale. It wasn't perfect, but it left me satisfied.
I both wish for and dread a film. I wish for it as long as Sherman-Palladino does everything I want them to do. I dread it if they don't.
;)
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11-17-2009 @ 3:20PM
Claire said...
As I said, everything after April sucked hard...but the last two-three episode are definately worth checking out. I always bawl at the party for Rory
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11-18-2009 @ 2:17PM
Emily said...
I would love for a Gilmore Girls movie to come out. I live to watch my one hour a day repeat on abcfamily!!!!!
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11-18-2009 @ 2:24PM
Juls said...
they need to do a movie and L needs to be living with Luke and married and prego and maybe R could come home for the baby and of course Jess would be there also and.... I think that while I love Logan it was always Rory and Jess and I wish they would make it into a movie... That would ROCK plus get to see the twins all big and running around and everything.. man the movie would be awesome!!!!!! I need more more more more more!!!!!!!!!!
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