Julie Bowen shares details of Modern Family’s scrapped spin-off, says ‘Maybe that gave somebody cold feet’

Julie Bowen has finally spilled the tea on the Modern Family spin-off that never saw the light of day. In a recent interview, she revealed that a potential show focused on Cam and Mitch's new life in Missouri was indeed in the works but got scrapped before takeoff.

Talking about the potential show, the actress said,

"There was a spin-off for a second that didn't go, so maybe that gave somebody cold feet. I have no idea. It was all during COVID. [...]"

The actress hinted at behind-the-scenes hesitation for the show's cancellation. Though Bowen wasn’t directly involved, she confirmed the spin-off was real and that it was a missed opportunity. Fans who’ve long hoped for a Modern Family continuation might feel those same chilly toes after hearing what could’ve been. Bowen continued to talk about what the show was supposed to be about as she added,

"It was Cam and Mitchell on a farm. The gay couple goes and lives back on a farm. I have no idea what happened with it. I wasn't involved with it. I would always support them and love them, but maybe they just need to give it a minute. Or they're casting for younger people right now. [...]"

More details about Modern Family

When Modern Family first dropped in 2009, nobody really expected a mockumentary about a chaotic extended family to stick around, let alone shape an entire era of TV. But fast forward 11 seasons and 250 episodes later, and it’s safe to say it became something of a cultural landmark. With 22 Primetime Emmys, a loyal fanbase across generations, and a spot in pretty much every family's Netflix recommendations, it made its mark.

Created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, the show flipped the traditional sitcom formula. Instead of one family, we got three, tied together by Jay Pritchett. There was Jay himself, with his younger, firecracker wife, Gloria, and her old-soul son, Manny. Then his daughter Claire married Phil, the most lovable goofball on TV. And then there were Mitchell and Cameron, the lovable, dramatic duo raising their daughter Lily with a cocktail of chaos, flair, and way too many themed family photoshoots. Each household had its own brand of madness, but together? They were magic.

What really set Modern Family apart, though, was that iconic mockumentary style. The characters didn’t just act for us; they spoke to us. Fans got front-row seats to their victories, their cringey parenting fails, their petty squabbles, and those glorious moments where life falls apart mid-Thanksgiving dinner because turkey carving went wrong.

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The early seasons did have their share of eye-rolling stereotypes. But the show grew, and so did its audience. By the time the finale rolled around, Modern Family had done more than just entertain us. It gave us comfort and laughter, and it helped change television, one painfully relatable parenting fail at a time.

Modern Family is available to stream on Disney+ and Peacock.

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