Do you guys think Rob is still working?

[Rushy]

A few years ago, there seemed to be excitement about Rob coming back into the fold, with talk of possible radio shows, animated shows, spin-offs… and then nothing. Is Rob still involved with a Dwarf project, do you think, or was it all just a bit of bluster?

After that Reddit AMA with Doug, I can’t help wishing for Rob to give us a similar update. 

Topic

[Jonsmad]

Yes, I think he is. He’s working on a Red Dwarf prequel and possibly more, and based on what’s been said he has the rights to that for a small number of future years, currently. Yes its been a couple of decades since he was commissioned to release Television, and a few years since his Radio work and Novels were released, but he’s in development work which may lead to something. There is always bluster of talking things up. I dont really want a Rob update until he has product. He’s not made any retirement statement to my knowledge. Good luck to him. 

[Dave]

I initially read this as meaning “functioning”, which seemed unduly harsh.

[Ben Saunders]

He’s in the shop for repairs.

[Warbodog]

I’m implicitly “working” when I’m in the bedroom making Red Dwarf gifs and rewatching 90s TV, let him be and he’ll get around to it eventually.

[barbucha]

I met Rob Grant in April 2025 at Comic-Con in Prague and asked him how his Titan project was going. He would like to realize the project someday, but he doesn’t have the money for a TV show and no television station has shown any interest, so far. He also mentioned that the project could be realized as an animated series in the style of Rick and Morty. He obviously likes this series :) He would therefore like to at least publish the script as a book.

[Dax101]

I suppose there is only so many times the writers can say there is no update before it starts to get embarrassing.

[Technopeasant]

[Jonathan Capps]

[Moonlight]

I think it’s ironic that Doug is making Out of the Red when Rob has been out of the Red for three decades.

[Dax101]

Rob just got back involved with Red Dwarf to late. No one wants to put the money in anymore. Sadly its been gradually happening for a while with Red Dwarf.

[Podey]

I feel like the common arc for all future Red Dwarf aspirations by either creator will go: 

It will be a TV series or special > It will be a cartoon, then > It will be a book, then

And then it won’t be a book.

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

It will be a comment in response to the news the book won’t be commissioned. 

Red Dwarf … but it’s just Doug’s Twitter feed. 

[Warbodog]

I’ve got no idea how much publishers pay writers for their efforts (working full time on the project for however long it takes) and whether crowdfunding these novels is a realistic alternative to get them done, but hopefully they’d consider it if they can’t find interest. A second set of rival novels coming out after 30 years would really be something.

[Dave]

The more I think about Doug’s idea, the more I think it could work as a novel-style expansion of the ideas and plot of Stasis Leak but with a slightly different emphasis. I hope it happens.

[Technopeasant]

Do you think Rob minds that Doug’s idea is also a parallel reality prequel?

[Podey]

I’ve got no idea how much publishers pay writers for their efforts (working full time on the project for however long it takes) and whether crowdfunding these novels is a realistic alternative to get them done, but hopefully they’d consider it if they can’t find interest. A second set of rival novels coming out after 30 years would really be something.

He could absolutely raise enough on something like Kickstarter to self-publish a book, but that’s not a good look for a professional writer/property since it is an indy/small press platform (“To the untrained eye this could look like it’s rubbish and I *haven’t* bounced back, Lynn!”).

Doug obviously has some momentum right now with the book deals so if there is ever going to be a time when there is interest in more Red Dwarf in print then we are probably in or nearing that moment but the fact he says that Penguin have outright just not responded to two pitches in recent years doesn’t fill me with hope.

[Jonsmad]

Do you think Rob minds that Doug’s idea is also a parallel reality prequel?

I wouldn’t personally be surprised IF its like this. What Rob has said of Titan is that its set on Titan before Lister is onboard Red Dwarf. So it has to be before The events of The End. Doug then thinking of what that means decides he would like to do alternate time line story that includes revisiting things right back to the very start of The End and possibly slightly before it in order to stake out exactly where the line that cant be crossed in rights actually is using a young craig charles lister performance character to do it.  Then the fence is even more clearly set than it currently is, with Doug having a bit of pre The End on board ship life to play with. 

[clem]

What Rob has said of Titan is that its set on Titan before Lister is onboard Red Dwarf. So it has to be before The events of The End.

Before The End, yes, but they’re on planet leave and Lister is already a member of the crew, and knows Rimmer as his boss and bunkmate. So it’s not before he signs up like in IWCD. 

[Author]

Replies