Whatever Happened To That Modern Family Spinoff?

Last year, word of a possible Modern Family spinoff started circulating, with reports that ABC wanted to find a way to continue the popular family sitcom. A world without the Dunphy-Pritchett-Tuckers is just not a world we want to live in, and now that Haley Dunphy (Sarah Hyland) is a mom, it seemed like the writers still had a lot of story left to tell. Unfortunately, there's nothing coming down the pipeline immediately, in terms of a direct Modern Family spinoff. No one is saying "never," though.

Talks of a Modern Family spinoff actually started way back in 2013. Co-creator and showrunner Steve Levitan and co-executive producers Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh told The Hollywood Reporter that they were overseeing a potential Modern Family spinoff.

In August, 2015, Deadline reported ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke said Haley's new family — the twins and her on-and-off-again boyfriend-turned-husband, Dylan (Reid Ewing) — seemed “tailor-made for a spinoff.” While Levitan told Burke he wasn’t ready to get into spinoffs, Burke said that she planned on bringing the topic back up. “I get smacked down every time I bring it up to Steve Levitan, so I’m going to stay quiet for a little while,” but she claimed that she “wasn’t going to let the issue rest with Levitan for long,” per Deadline. 

At the 2019 Televisions Critics Association winter press tour, Burke said, “I would love [a spinoff]. No one would be happier if there were one.” She added, “This next year, from what I hear, is all about...they have big plans. There are some surprises and big milestones coming. They intend to really, really go out big. So, it would be terrific if a spinoff were part of that.”

Most of the cast seemed interested in the idea of a Modern Family spinoff as well. When the actors were asked about the subject at the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Julie Bowen, who plays Claire Dunphy, answered, “Does the spinoff get as good as Modern Family? Then yeah, I’d do anything, sure.” Ewing also joked, “I need a job.” 

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who plays Mitchell, said that they not only loved the fact that Modern Family put “a gay couple in the forefront” but that they hoped “Mitch and Cam opened the door [for more same-sex relationships on TV].” Eric Stonestreet, who plays Mitchell's husband Cam, added, “Or a spinoff.”

Per E! News, Ariel Winter (Alex Dunphy) addressed the possibility of a Modern Family spinoff by saying, “I’m never going to say absolutely no to something...if it got presented to me or anybody, I’m sure we’d definitely think about it. We’d never be absolutely not, we wouldn’t do that.” 

Hyland, on the other hand, may have too busy of a schedule to even really consider (or have time for) a continuation of her Modern Family storyline. Per E! News, Hyland has signed on to executive produce and star in an untitled comedy series with The Big Sick’s Emily V. Gordon. Not much is known about the show, except that it has a put-pilot order, and is “inspired by both Hyland and Gordon’s real-life experiences.” 

Additionally, Ty Burrell (Phil Dunphy) has signed on to be part of FOX’s new animated series, Duncanville. Burrell is set to voice the dad of the titular character, opposite Amy Poehler. Bowen is also off the market; she has a CBS sitcom on the way.

If ABC and the show's cast were on board for an offshoot, it would seem like a Modern Family spinoff would be a no-brainer. Per Variety, the show creators wanted to put all their time and energy on making a worthy Modern Family series finale instead. While some outlets did report Modern Family ratings dropped in season 10, that doesn't — outwardly — seem to be the reason why ABC won't be pursuing a spinoff (yet).