An Iconic ’80s Sci-Fi Series Is Finally Being Revived With A Prequel

Grant and co. unveiled the news at—fitting event alert—BFI’s Comedy Time Travel Special, an industry gathering celebrating narratives in film and television featuring time travel. Perhaps frustratingly for fans of the original series, details surrounding the nitty gritty pieces of the prequel, particularly its format, remain under wraps. Thankfully, Grant’s enthusiastic gusto implies whatever medium the project ultimately manifests, it’s bound to satisfy. 

Still, the co-creator insisted on revealing the bare minimum, appearing committed to keeping juicy specifics about the project scant. He could only specify that the prequel marks a return to the Red Dwarf universe, one that excites both himself and his team. 

Relatedly, earlier this year, fans were overjoyed when the show’s creators, Grant and Doug Naylor, resolved their long-running rights dispute. This resolution paved a thankful path for the prequel’s actual development. Interestingly, the settlement permits the duo to work independently on projects related to the sci-fi universe they created. They may also, should they wish, continue collaborating with the original cast of the ’80s series, as well as other relevant partners. 

Grant and Naylor warmed fans’ hearts by releasing a joint statement delighting in the resolution. The pair effusively declared: “Smoke a kipper, Red Dwarf will be back for breakfast!!” Of course, the announcement enthralled fans worldwide, supplying them with realistic hope for further adventures with the project’s adored characters. 

Doug Naylor, for his part, articulated the genuine challenges ahead, particularly that of aligning the cast’s busy schedules—especially Craig Charles’s and Robert Llewellyn’s. But he has not lost hope. The co-creator opined that, assuming everyone’s availability, and perhaps more importantly, assuming the original cast wants to shoot the project in the first place, the prequel should come to pass.

Audiences first encountered Red Dwarf in 1988 and immediately gravitated toward its winsome mix of sci-fi and comedy. The series was set on the eponymous mining spaceship and related the lives and misadventures of a crew of genuine oddballs. These include the last human alive, a hologram of his deceased bunkmate, an organism that evolved from the ship’s cat, and a helpful robot. 

Questions about the prequel abound. Notable among them: will it venture into the backstories of the original crew? Will it treat fans to a new ensemble cast? Will details about the extended universe emerge? These questions—and more—are thus far unanswered.

Crystal clear, though, is that Red Dwarf’s legacy continues, influencing sci-fi and comedy (and sci-fi-comedy) genres today. And for fans who grew up with the series, an opportunity to jump back into the hilarious and often bizarre world is more than welcome. Expect new fans to hop on for the ride, too.