Peacock's 'MacGruber': Will Forte Hopes to Keep Comedy Series Going 'Until We're in The Grave' (Exclusive)

By Stephen Andrew

This week, Peacock debuted the brand new MacGruber series, continuing the misadventures of Will Forte's SNL-originated former military specialist, which began as a parody of the hit '90s TV show MacGyver. The new series picks up a decade after the MacGruber movie and sees ex-Green Beret taking on a villain from his past. During an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com, Forte discussed the new series, saying that he and MacGruber co-creators Jorma Taccone and John Solomon will "always want to keep doing this until we're in the grave."

Forte explained that they "certainly will never say that it's MacGruber's swan song" but clarified that it's "kind of out of our hands. It's more just, if somebody will let us continue making them, because we love up working with each other. We're like brothers." He then praised his two MacGruber co-stars Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe, saying, "They feel like family in the same way. And it's just really fun to do it. And then we got to introduce a bunch of new people to the series." Forte later added, "Hey, we'll keep going as long as they'll let us, but we're excited for people to see it. It feels very much like it's in the same tone as the movie and...I think people who did like the movie will enjoy this.

The former SNL star admitted that "we're hoping other people like it too, but our first order of business was, let's make sure that we do something that people who like the" MacGruber movie, from 2010. When working out the show's direction, Forte says that he, Taccone and Solomon said to themselves, "Let's not try to shoot for a bigger audience. Let's just stay true to the MacGruber template that we created from the movie. And if we can pull other people in, then great. But if not, as long as we make sure that we ourselves like it and are proud of it and that people who did like the movie like it, then we'll have done our job."

Forte also said that the creative team behind MacGruber is very "happy with how it turned out," even if "there are little things" here and there that they didn't get to capture exactly the way they wanted. "It was a very ambitious production schedule, and we couldn't get all the fun and fancy shots that would've made it even cooler, but we're pretty excited for people to see it," he said. "We're proud of it. And I have a feeling that people who liked the movie will like this series as well. It's the same disgusting story. It's fun."

In addition to the new MacGruber series, fans can also hear Forte in the new Audible Original MiddleSpace: The Rebels Attack, And Then The Other Side Attacks As Well, which was created by The Office alum Paul Lieberstein. In the narrative comedy podcast, Forte plays Starship Captain George Cottonhammer, the unassuming leader of a military spacecraft. "This is a guy who just kind of lives in his own world, obviously, doesn't really realize what he's saying a lot of the time," Forte offered. "I like to think he doesn't realize what he's saying because he's just so oblivious so much of the time." 

He added that Cottonhammer was a "very fun character" to voice because "he can then every once in a while be a little fragile. But for the most part, he just goes through life kind of oblivious." MacGruber Season 1 is now available on Peacock, as is the film, exclusively for subscribers of the streaming service. Additionally, all 17 episodes of MiddleSpace are available to Audible subscribers at no additional cost.

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