Red Dwarf - The Movie

Since the end of series Eight, Doug Naylor has been attempting to get funding to make a feature length film version of the show, but on every occasion so far has been thwarted by circumstances. He has long persisted with his conviction that the making of the movie (for which the script has been written for many years) takes precedence over any other possible future incarnation of Red Dwarf. On the series VIII DVD documentary The Tank, however, he admits to being — perhaps mindful of the age and schedules of the principal cast — close to having to make a final, outright decision of whether to continue to pursue the film, make a series IX or some one-off TV special(s) (as Only Fools & Horses did previously), or simply end the series as it is. Naylor sent a letter to the Red Dwarf fans at a convention in 2004, which mostly consisted of his failed attempts to create the film, such as a fake Duke of Manchester sending forged money to fund the film. In 2007, meanwhile, a further message from Naylor mentioned that in years previous, Miramax had agreed to fund the film on the condition that it was entirely recast, Recommending Hugh Grant for the part of Dave Lister and Emma Thompson for Christine Kochanski. Naylor refused.