Fifth Avenue Forum

A new Psych movie has hit a pineapple-sized speed bump. First, the good news: A sequel to last December’s super-fun Psych: The Movie is in the early stages of development at Universal Cable Productions and USA Network. Now for the bad: The project is on hold.

Although a rep for USA/UCP declined to comment, TVLine has learned that talks had been underway to potentially shoot a second movie later this year. But the pic was pushed due to scheduling conflicts with leads James Roday and Dule Hill (Roday stars in the new ABC drama A Million Little Things, while Hill is busy with USA’s Suits, where he was recently promoted to a series regular).

Crack open the sparkling pineapple juice — the Psych sequel is officially a go! TVLine has learned exclusively that USA Network has formally greenlit a two-hour follow-up to 2017’s Psych: The Movie.

Production is set to get underway next month in Vancouver on the officially-titled Psych: The Movie 2 which finds Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dulé Hill) going back to where it all began: Santa Barbara. Read on for the official, mildly spoilery, Lassiter-centric logline.

Santa Barbara Police Chief Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) is ambushed on the job and left for dead. In a vintage Psych-style Hitchcockian nod, he begins to see impossible happenings around his recovery clinic. Shawn (Roday) and Gus (Hill) return to Lassie’s side in Santa Barbara and are forced to navigate the personal, the professional, and possibly the supernatural. Separated from their new lives in San Francisco, our heroes find themselves unwelcome in their old stomping grounds as they secretly untangle a twisted case without the benefit of the police, their loved ones, or the quality sourdough bakeries of the Bay Area. What they uncover will change the course of their relationships forever.

In addition to Roday, Hill and Omundson, the returning cast includes Maggie Lawson (Juliet), Kirsten Nelson (Karen) and Corbin Bernsen (Henry).

Attention all Psych-Os! Joel McHale will be joining as a special guest in the upcoming Psych: The Movie 2! You know that's right! His exact role is still being kept under wraps but we can confirm that he will play a mysterious character from Lassie’s past.

And it doesn’t end there! Jimmi Simpson took to Instagram to confirm he will be returning to the Psych-O-Verse to reprise his character as Mary Lightly!

Psych fans will have to wait a little longer for the second movie sequel. Originally slated to premiere in 2019, the film will not debut until at least spring 2020. That is because the movie is moving from USA Network, home of the original Psych series and Psych: The Movie, to Peacock, NBCU’s upcoming streaming service, which launches in April 2020.

The sequel, fka Psych: The Movie 2, has been given a cheeky new title, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, named after one of the show’s main characters, Santa Barbara Police Chief Carlton Lassiter, played by Tim Omundson.

Moving the film from a linear cable network to a streaming platform makes sense. Movies are one of the hardest business proposition for an ad-supported linear network because they are expensive, difficult to justify a major promotional push because they are one-offs, and they have very limited shelf life. Meanwhile, original movies have been thriving on streaming platforms, as several Netflix hits have proven. And they remain evergreens on the service. Additionally, if a new fan comes across the Psych movie, they can check out Psych (the series) whose seasons will all be available on the Peacock.

Written, directed and executive produced by Psych creator Steve Franks, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home focuses on Lassiter who is ambushed on the job and left for dead. In a vintage Psych-style Hitchcockian nod, he begins to see impossible happenings around his recovery clinic. Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dulé Hill) return to Lassie’s side in Santa Barbara and are forced to navigate the personal, the professional, and possibly the supernatural. Separated from their new lives in San Francisco, our heroes find themselves unwelcome in their old stomping grounds as they secretly untangle a twisted case without the benefit of the police, their loved ones, or the quality sourdough bakeries of the Bay Area. What they uncover will change the course of their relationships forever.

Also returning for the second movie are original Psych cast members Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson and Corbin Bernsen.

Roday also co-wrote the movie and executive produces, Hill executive produces, Andy Berman co-wrote, Chris Henzie executive produces.UCP produces in association with Thruline Entertainment.

Guess I'm going to have to do a trial account so I can watch this.

Screw you, NBC.