A Blackadder Movie Would Be Too Painful

Recently, there’s been a few ‘news’ stories doing the rounds about a Blackadder movie in development all of which is utter nonsense. The ‘news’ originated from an interview with John Lloyd on BBC Breakfast where he said: ‘Rowan and I had this great idea – because we’re all getting a bit old now – of doing a Dad’s Army; that they are a platoon in Walmington-on-Sea, and they get kidnapped by a German submarine and taken to Colditz and they all have to escape.’

‘Tony Robinson is probably very nearly 70 now and it would be just about the right age, and I think quite funny, don’t you?’

He added: ‘It’d make a good movie, don’t you think?’

Let’s just be clear here, there is no movie in development – John and Rowan may have had a chat about different ideas over dinner, but it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

Now, Blackadder creator Richard Curtis has gone on record as saying that there is no movie. And for the simple reason that it would be too painful to make.

In an interview with The York Press, Curtis has revealed it is “unlikely” that Blackadder would return for a big-screen outing.

“I don’t believe that! If Rowan’s really keen, that would be interesting to hear but he hasn’t said it to me,” he said.

“We went away for a weekend a decade ago to see whether we could work out a way of doing it and we never could, so I’m sure it won’t happen. I think it’ll be quite unlikely that there will be a Blackadder movie.

Richard revealed they had discussed the idea for a film years ago.

“We did say when we were young, if ever we did Blackadder again, it would be when we are old,” he continued.

“We thought we should wait 30 years and then vent our anger at the younger generation in the way that the original Blackadder was venting our anger as young men about older men and how messed up the world was, particularly in the First World War.”

The 56-year-old added: “So it’s not impossible but I think it would be too painful.”