TORONTO and REGINA – Canadian TV sitcom Corner Gas has returned, this time with its sights set on the big screen.
Bell Media and Telefilm Canada announced Tuesday that Corner Gas: The Movie will begin shooting next month and appear in Cineplex theatres later this year, followed by premieres on CTV, The Movie Network, and The Comedy Network. A collector’s DVD will be released in time for the holidays.
Headlined by creator and comedian Brent Butt, the 90-minute feature film will star the entire original ensemble cast including Gabrielle Miller, Eric Peterson, Fred Ewanuick, Janet Wright, Lorne Cardinal, Tara Spencer-Nairn, and Nancy Robertson. Written by Brent Butt, Andrew Carr, and Andrew Wreggitt, the movie will be directed by David Storey, who served as key director on the series.
Corner Gas: The Movie will be distributed by the executive producers through Prairie Pants Distribution utilizing an innovative multi-platform approach. Each premiere (theatrical release; conventional, pay, and specialty TV; and DVD platforms) will be event-driven and complemented by exclusive content. Cineplex will release the movie in theatres across Canada including red carpet premieres, featuring a live feed with Brent Butt and cast to all participating cinemas across Canada, as well as in-theatre prizes, and giveaways.
Fans are encouraged to be part of the movie-making experience through a kickstarter campaign which aims to raise $100,000 in 30 days. With financing for the movie already in place, funds amassed through the campaign will be used to provide fans with behind-the-scenes experiences as well as enhance the film and its promotion. Kickstarter contributions range from $5 to $300 for collectable, ‘backers-only’ merchandise, and from $500 to $8,000 for limited, personalized experiences such as autographed scripts, an opportunity to meet the cast on set, and even appear in the movie.
If the initial $100,000 Kickstarter goal is surpassed, additional funds will be used to enhance visual effects in the production, fly the cast to Cineplex premieres across Canada, and maintain the Corner Gas set in Rouleau, Saskatchewan as a tourist destination for one year.
"I'm excited. The entire gang is back. The movie picks up five years after we last checked in and it has everything you loved about the show – snappy dialogue, colourful yet relatable characters, ill-fitting denim trousers, you name it!," said creator/star/writer and executive producer Brent Butt, in the press release.
Originally developed by Brent Butt for CTV and The Comedy Network, Corner Gas premiered on January 22, 2004 to 1.15 million viewers. The series would continue for six seasons and 107 episodes, ending on a high when a record-breaking 3.02 million viewers tuned into the series finale on April 13, 2009.
