Arrested Development movie coming?

We first caught wind of the revival of the cult-fave TV show Arrested Development a year ago with rumors that the new season would lead into a big screen adaptation. Then as word came down earlier this summer that the production arm of Netflix was adding the revival of the series to its slate of originally-produced movies and TV shows, many fans began to wonder if the long-rumored movie was being kicked to the curb. After all, news of the movie adaptation was no longer being mentioned alongside the Netflix announcement, and previous rumors frequently cited ownership and broadcast rights as a major snafu in getting this thing off the ground. For the most part though, fans were Ok with that as long as they were able to get their Bluthe Family fix.

Well, patience must really be a virtue. Word just came down via a Vulture interview with Executive Producer Mitch Hurwitz that not only is the Arrested Development movie going to happen, but that Season 4 of the series, which is currently filming in and around Southern California as we speak, will indeed lead in to the movie.

Says Hurwitz:

"The episodes are an outgrowth of the design of what we hope will be the movie. They precede it. They function as an act one of a movie that we all want to do, but haven't "sold" yet. The episodes take the audience through the experiences of the characters since the family "fell apart" and how they're brought together to deal with their new problems. I would give you a hint as to what those problems are, but, really, why rob the fans of being disappointed when they see it on Netflix."

Another interesting tidbit from the interview, which you can read here, is that Hurwitz is leaving open the idea that the newly renovated season may actually be more than the 10 episodes previously announced. Perhaps 13? And though other Netflix-produced series have made all episodes available at the same time on the company's subscription-based streaming service, Hurwitz leaves open an option for other delivery scenarios as well.

The Netflix web-based delivery method is so new and innovative, it's difficult to imagine exactly what they have in mind for the show and how it will be delivered to the starving AD masses, especially considering how pack-leading the avant-garde show was for its time when its first season debuted way back in 2003. But leveraging the power of social media in such forms as live online watching parties involving twitter, Facebook or other outlets could lead to an even bigger audience latching onto the show.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out and what Netflix and the creative geniuses behind the show come up with. This a new frontier that's still shape-shifting as we speak. One thing we do know for sure: Season 4 of Arrested Development will be here in Spring 2013 with much of the returning cast as well as a few additions like John Slattery.

All three seasons of Arrested Development are currently available on Netflix Instant Watch, so it's time to get caught up with the Bluths before the new season hits the airwaves, er internet.