My hopes of anotherPsychmovie ever happening may have just been squashed. This movie franchise, based on the popular USA dramedy series that ran from 2006 to 2014, was an unlikely success, kicking off withPsych: The Moviein 2017. Peacock quickly greenlit the two subsequent sequels,Psych 2: Lassie Come HomeandPsych 3: This is Gus.These movies premiered on Peacock in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and news that aPsych 4script was in the works was announced shortly after.Unfortunately, we are now in 2025, and Shawn and Gus' return seems no closer to reality.
Actor, director, and screenwriter James Roday Rodriguez, who co-wrote and starred as Shawn Spencer in thePsychTV show and all three movies,recently provided an update. On the bright side, it sounds as if thescript forPsych 4has been completed and that the creative team is on standby, ready to dive in. Additionally, Rodriguez heavily implied that the full cast was eager to return. Unfortunately, none of this is very good since it sounds as ifPeacock hasn’t given the official green light. “If the fans really want to make some noise, they should direct their energy towards the Cock,” said Rodriguez, and this has me concerned.
Psych 4’s Status Update Confirms My Worst Fears About The Sequel
The Ball Is In Peacock’s Court Now
Creative delays have been an unfortunate industry reality over the last few years. The COVID-19 lockdowns made movie and TV production impossible, for a time, and the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes that followed meant that many more projects were put on hold. For this reason, I hadn’t been too concerned about thefate ofPsych 4. While it might not have been a creative priority, screenwriters like Rodriguez would surely get the time to finish up a script and eventually get the movie made. Unfortunately,Psych 4is facing a far more ominous delay.
Rodriguez makes it clear that everything on the creative end is ready to go forPsych 4—the ball is now in Peacock’s court. ThePsychactor and screenwriter’s call to actionimplies that Peacock isn’t convinced that a fourth movie would be lucrative. Rodriguez seems to want us to let the company know that we are eager to see Shawn and Gus together on screen again. This is a rather desperate measure, and a confusing necessity at that. Surely, after the reception of the first threePsychmovies, a fourth film would be a no-brainer.
Psych 4 Shouldn’t Be Taking This Long After Three Great Movies
A Fourth Movie Felt Like A Shoo-in
Peacock very quickly greenlit two sequels after the success ofPsych: The Movie, which managed an impressive 100% score from critics onRotten Tomatoes. The streaming service was rewarded with more favorable reviews onPsych 2: Lassie Come HomeandPsych 3: This is Gus, with all metrics allowing these two films their “Certified Fresh” statuses. It’s for this reason that we thought thatPsych 4was a shoo-in, and after all these years, the movie shouldat leasthave begun production. Sowhat could be holding Peacock back?
100%
89%
85%
92%
Psych 3: This is Gus (2021)
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88%
It’s possible that Peacock got spooked by the significantly lessened buzz surrounding the thirdPsychmovie,This is Gus. While the previous two movies got some fair attention from critics, the movie’s 88%Rotten Tomatoesscore comes only from audiences. This likely means that the viewership data forPsych 3wasn’t as favorable as Peacock would have liked. Perhaps fans should do as Rodriguez suggested. Aiming their anticipation and frustration at the “Cock” could make a difference, butif the company doesn’t thinkPsych 4will make the money, we may have to face the music.
If Psych 4 Doesn’t Happen, We Might Never See Shawn & Gus Again
One More Movie Could Wrap Up The Psych Franchise
The originalPsychTV show wrapped up in 2014, and it seemed for a time that this would be the last we would see of Shawn and Gus.We are luckier than most in this regard, since not many fandoms get not only one, but three reunion movies.SeeingRodriguez, Dulé Hill, and other belovedactors like Maggie Lawson and Timothy Omundson, together on screen again, only three years afterPsychwrapped, was an absolute treat.While I would typically be content that we got two more movies after this, the cliffhanger ofPsych 3makesPsych4’s uncertain status a bit uncomfortable.
After such a long and successful TV run and three full movies, it would be a shame to leave Psych like this.
At the end ofPsych 3, Gus and Selene welcomed their new baby, while Selene’s villainous ex-husband got away, ready to threaten their family again. After such a long and successful TV run and three full movies, it would be a shame to leavePsychlike this. I’d love to see Shawn and Gus on screen again as their relationship shifts now that Gus is a father. Just one more movie could be the perfect conclusion to these friends' stories. Hopefully, Peacock soon realizes precisely what this would mean to fans.
