History Main / ProductionLeadTime

** The episode "Stan Fixes a Shingle" has a B-plot that focuses on Hayley, Jeff and Roger going to see Creator/{{Gallagher}}. Gallagher died on November 11, 2022, while the episode aired on May 22, 2023, so he would have been alive during most of the show's production period, and his death likely occurred too late in production to change the subplot. Gallagher's death didn't go entirely unacknowledged, since one of the characters asks "Isn't Gallagher dead?" and at the end of the episode, [[spoiler:Jeff runs Gallagher over with his van, killing him.]]

* Subverted with the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "Soos and the Real Girl", which has a climax involving a bunch of robots at a [[SuckECheeses Chuck E Cheese's-esque restaurant]] being possessed and [[HostileAnimatronics attacking the heroes]]. At the time of the episode's airing, the use of establishments based on Chuck E Cheese's in Western Animation series (alongside the restaurant chain itself) was out of trend for younger viewers and fans to understand, but they took the robots as a ShoutOut to ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'', a horror game series with a similar premise that had just sprung up in popularity by then. It was a pure coincidence.

* Subverted with the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "Soos and the Real Girl", which has a climax involving a bunch of robots at a [[SuckECheeses Chuck E Cheese's-esque restaurant]] being possessed and [[HostileAnimatronics attacking the heroes]]. Many viewers and fans understandably took it as a ShoutOut to ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'', a horror game series with a similar premise that had just sprung up in popularity at the time of the episode's airing. It was a pure coincidence.

* Subverted with the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "Soos and the Real Girl", which has a climax involving a bunch of robots at a [[SuckECheeses Chuck E Cheese-esque restaurant]] [[HostileAnimatronics being possessed and attacking]] the heroes. Many fans understandably took as a ShoutOut to ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'', a horror game series that had just sprung up in popularity at the time. It was a pure coincidence.

** The episode "Stan Fixes a Shingle" has a B-plot that focuses on Hayley, Jeff and Roger going to see Creator/{{Gallagher}}. Gallagher died on November 11, 2022, while the episode aired on May 22, 2023, so he would have been alive during most of the show's production period, and his death likely occurred too late in production to write a different subplot. Gallagher's death didn't go entirely unacknowledged, since one of the characters asks "Isn't Gallagher dead?" and at the end of the episode, [[spoiler:Jeff runs Gallagher over with his van, killing him.]]

** The episode "Stan Fixes a Shingle" has a B-plot that focuses on Hayley, Jeff and Roger going to see Creator/{{Gallagher}}. Gallagher died on November 11, 2022, the episode aired on May 22, 2023, so he would have been alive during most of the show's production period. Gallagher's death didn't go entirely unacknowledged, since one of the characters asks "Isn't Gallagher dead?" and at the end of the episode, [[spoiler:Jeff runs Gallagher over with his van, killing him.]]

* This even happened to the ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' movies despite their amazingly fast (or rather, rushed) production time, as they had gone into production before some of the characters' looks or the outcome of the stories were even finalized. This accounts for why certain characters look more like their toy prototypes than the versions sold in stores. The ending of the first film is a particularly huge mess, as both Toys/{{LEGO}} and the filmmakers reconfigured its climax after the voices had already been recorded, leading to crucial events going unexplained, explained events not happening the way they're described, and twists and character actions being utterly nonsensical.
** The fourth film, ''The Legend Reborn'' presents further unfinished concepts: Bone Hunters look like Rock Tribe members rather than the finished toys, the Thornax ammo is a glowing energy orb instead of a volatile fruit (it gets its toy appearance in one of the later scenes), characters are fully robotic instead of organic people in armor with cyber-implants, and the planets Aqua Magna and Bota Magna are in a different galaxy than Bara Magna and its two moons, while in the finished story said planets ''are'' the moons -- the opening scene had so many contradictions that it was de-canonized. Also, Gresh in the movie is an inexperienced rookie despite already having matured in other stories.

* Fans of the bygone comic strip ''ComicStrip/TheBoondocks'' may regret that the [[WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks TV series]] couldn't joke about current events nearly so much.
** The lead-time in the comics was lampshaded shortly before the 2000 Presidential Election, where Huey laments that the candidate he was rooting for doesn't stand a chance. Aaron [=McGruder=], meanwhile, keeps leaving comments at the bottom of the panels apologizing because he has to draw out the strips a couple of months in advance, so the polls may have changed in that time. Then at the end, it's revealed that the candidate Huey was rooting for was Ralph Nader, causing Aaron [=McGruder=] to admit that the polls for him probably didn't change after all.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' is a rare aversion. The StylisticSuck design is so comically simple to animate with industry standard software that, once the show switched over to such programs rather than animating construction paper cutouts by hand, the production time for episodes slowly became shorter and shorter until the creators found that they were now putting together entire episodes from concept to final delivery in a mere ''six days''.
** The ultimate example of this is the episode "Christmas in Canada", which included references to (and images of) Saddam Hussein's capture ''three days after it happened''.
** ''South Park'' broke its own record with "About Last Night...", spoofing the results of the 2008 election and the ensuing aftermath that had happened '''the previous night'''. Of course they wrote it assuming Obama's poll lead would translate into victory in the election (which it did) and an easily reworkable plot in case he didn't (and banked on the assumption that if Obama didn't win, an episode of ''South Park'' would go ignored in the ensuing frenzy).
*** Similarly, the episode "Obama Wins!" aired the day after Obama's reelection, but the plot of the episode also dealt with [[Creator/{{Disney}} The Walt Disney Company]] purchasing Creator/{{Lucasfilm}}, which had happened a week prior.
*** Likewise, the seventh episode of Season 20 was originally written under the assumption that Hilary Clinton would win in 2016. When [[FailedFutureForecast Trump won instead]], Matt and Trey had to completely rewrite (and presumably, reanimate) the whole episode in less than a day, as well as change the title-- originally "The Very First Gentleman", it is now known as "Oh, Jeez".

* This was one of the big reasons why ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' underwent reverse IssueDrift and moved away from topical political satire and more towards over-the-top and relatively apolitical {{Farce}}. The showrunners stated that it could take upwards of two years from an episode being written to being broadcast, which forces episodes to be written in a more timeless manner. They [[https://tv.avclub.com/comedy-showrunners-week-american-dad-s-co-creators-on-1798233675 cited a joke made early on]] in the show's run about White House counsel Harriet Miers that was so outdated by the time it actually aired that the showrunners themselves forgot who she was and had to look it up online.

** ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'', released in 2008:
*** Zelda still has her alter ego Sheik as an alternate form despite no game other than 1998's ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' at that point having her take on that appearance. However, Sheik returned because when ''Brawl'' entered development, 2006's ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' was still in early production and that team planned to have the character reappear.
*** The game features basically no content from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', which was released in November 2007, due to the two games having mostly-concurrent development cycles. It's only briefly mentioned in the game's Chronicle, and the game instead treats ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' as the latest mainline ''Mario'' game. For the same reason, content on ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' is nonexistent (only having a mention in the Chronicle), so the newest ''Metroid'' content in the game is as of ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' (console, 2004) and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'' (handheld and overall, 2006).

* While they'd been notorious for their string of [[DuelingMovies loose copycat productions of Pixar films]], only once was Creator/DreamWorksAnimation able to use this trope to beat another film to the punch: ''WesternAnimation/TheWild'', an obscure [[InternationalCoproduction co-production]] between Disney and an [[Creator/COREDigitalPictures independent Canadian company]], had been in the works for six years before Creator/DreamWorks made its pre-emptive strike with the suspiciously similar (and more heavily stylized) ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}''. Like ''The Thief and the Cobbler'' example above, the end result was the movie in production first released ''after'' the film that borrowed its concept became hugely successful, resulting in the ''original'' being accused of being a ripoff.

* One ''ComicStrip/{{Foxtrot}}'' comic published in the 90s had two characters discussing a cartoonist who got in trouble for missing a deadline and his editors demanding he write a bigger backlog. When one asks how long a backlog he has to make, another comes in and asks if they've heard about Watergate.

** "Cy and Beasty" was likely produced with the release of ''Film/TomAndJerry'' in mind, but came out in August 2021, six months after its' theatrical release.

* [[ZigZaggedTrope Zig Zagged]] with ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerIII''. Given the five year SequelGap between it and the [[VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerII previous installment]], several units in the game had their tabletop models updated by Games Workshop. While some (mostly among the Daemons of Chaos, who were introduced in the game) were able to use their updated models[[note]]Even the Lord of Change, which had an EarlyBirdCameo in the [[VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer first game]], was able to have its updated model, though it had to be altered slightly to match the original skeleton[[/note]], a few units (Sigvald the Magnificent, Blood Knights, Black Coaches, and Lord Kroak) were not changed due to a combination of already being in the game and having their models updated in the context of ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'' (e.g., in Sigvald's case, his new model reflects his [[DemonOfHumanOrigin ascension into Daemonhood]] in the ''Age of Sigmar'' setting, and does not reflect him during his time in the Old World). The most egregious case so far is Be'lakor the Dark Master, the BigBad of the third game, who uses his original model rather than his updated model (which was revealed in March 2021, a month after the game's reveal) despite the fact that as a daemon his appearance would not have changed between the settings.
** A similar case also applied to the trilogy's depiction of the Zoats. The Zoats were added to the game in ''The Twisted and the Twilight'' DLC released in December 2020 for the second game, the same year Zoats were reintroduced by Games Workshop into their GaidenGames such as ''TabletopGame/BloodBowl'' and ''TabletopGame/BlackstoneFortress''. However, despite all three appearances occurring in the same year, the Zoats in the trilogy are inaccurate when compared to the miniatures, due to being less stockily built. While one could interpret this as a case of [[PropRecycling asset reuse]] (the Zoats reuse the Dragon Ogre skeleton), one could also argue that the new Zoat design was not available for the use of the developers at that point.

* [[ZigZaggedTrope Zig Zagged]] with ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerIII''. Given the five year SequelGap between it and the [[VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerII previous installment]], several units in the game had their tabletop models updated by Games Workshop. While some (mostly among the Daemons of Chaos, who were introduced in the game) were able to use their updated models[[note]]Even the Lord of Change, which had an EarlyBirdCameo in the [[VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer first game]], was able to have its updated model, though it had to be altered slightly to match the original skeleton[[/note]], a few units (Sigvald the Magnificent, Blood Knights, Black Coaches, and Lord Kroak) were not changed due to a combination of already being in the game and having their models updated in the context of ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'' (e.g., in Sigvald's case, his new model reflects his ascension into Daemonhood in the ''Age of Sigmar'' setting, and does not reflect him during his time in the Old World). The most egregious case so far is Be'lakor the Dark Master, the BigBad of the third game, who uses his original model rather than his updated model (which was revealed in March 2021, a month after the game's reveal) despite the fact that as a daemon his appearance would not have changed between the settings.

* Teasers for ''WesternAnimation/ThePagemaster'' were in theaters four years before the movie came out. This is because the film took three years to create. Shame that it ultimately wound up being a bomb financially, critically and among audiences.

* [[ZigZaggedTrope Zig Zagged]] with ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerIII''. Given the five year SequelGap between it and the [[VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerII previous installment]], several units in the game had their tabletop models updated by Games Workshop. While some (mostly among the Daemons of Chaos, who were introduced in the game) were able to use their updated models[[note]]Even the Lord of Change, which had an EarlyBirdCameo in the [[VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer first game]], was able to have its updated model, though it had to be altered slightly to match the original skeleton[[/note]], a few units (Sigvald the Magnificent, Blood Knights, Black Coaches, and Lord Kroak) and were not changed due to a combination of already being in the game and having their models updated in the context of ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'' (e.g., in Sigvald's case his new model reflects his ascension into Daemonhood in the ''Age of Sigmar'' setting and does not reflect him during his time in the Old World). The most egregious case so far is Be'lakor the Dark Master, the BigBad of the third game, who uses his original model rather than his updated model (which was revealed in March 2021, a month after the game's reveal) despite the fact that as a daemon his appearance would not have changed between the settings.

* High Score was a shortlived animated series from Matt Wilson, originally competing with Homestar Runner. The characters were later redesigned for ''WebAnimation/BonusStage'', which used a simpler style in order to allow a faster release cycle, necessary for Matt to keep pace as the show's creator, writer, animator, voice actor (of every character barring a few exceptions toward the end of the show's run), sound designer...

While the structure of an animation pipeline can actually a boon in some cases, there is one major creative sacrifice those in animation must always make: the ability to be topical.[[note]]You don't need to film physical actors on location or a set, which adds far more flexibility in how much of a work can be produced without a large crew in the same location. The chaos of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic highlighted this, where animation was the one sector of the entertainment industry that had little issue continuing on as normal after a short adjustment period, since everyone could just work at home. However, series produced before the pandemic continued to release months after it started, and weren't adjusted to match -- the "Catch-Up Song" in ''WesternAnimation/Animaniacs2020'', for example, attempts to predict the future but doesn't mention COVID-19 at all.[[/note]] While video games are a more insular medium as a whole, their production pipeline is similar, both in set-up and length, so this issue can apply to them as well.

The production period necessary for any given work varies depending on the medium. Obviously live television is instantaneous, while even live-action scripted shows can be filmed and edited within days. This puts certain works like animation at a disadvantage, as animation takes time. Good animation takes a ''long'' time. Even the simplest animated TV shows can see a production period of a year for a single episode with multiple episodes in production at the same time.

While the structure of an animation pipeline can actually a boon in some cases[[note]]You don't need to film physical actors on location or a set, which adds far more flexibility in how much of a work can be produced without a large crew in the same location. The chaos of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic highlighted this, where animation was the one sector of the entertainment industry that had little issue continuing on as normal after a short adjustment period, since everyone could just work at home.[[/note]], there is one major creative sacrifice those in animation must always make: the ability to be topical. That isn't to say a piece of animation that spent five years in development can't give an accurate picture of the social or political climate it is eventually released in, but due to the long lead time, it's much harder to be certain that whatever you're commentating on will still be relevant over a year later. The more specific the subject you want to reference, the more likely you'll find your audience baffled about why you're still talking about it when everyone else has moved on months ago, assuming they even ''remember'' it.

!This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16731105390.91074000 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.

** Despite ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' coming out a year and a half before ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' content is almost entirely based on the first game, with ''2'''s inclusion being limited to a pair of Mii costumes and content taken directly from the original game (such as music and spirits). Notably, the Inkling character itself has zero reference to the second game, with their Final Smash being a move that was cut altogether from the sequels.
** The base roster and first set of DLC in ''Ultimate'' were locked in before the release dates of ''VideoGame/{{ARMS}}'' and ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'', so they had to compromise by representing them with Mii costumes, spirits, and music. Characters and extra content overall from both games were eventually included in the second set of DLC.
** In many cases, the DLC characters take years of negotiating to include, and as a result the included characters don't always correspond to current developments. For instance, [[Franchise/KingdomHearts Sora]], who was released in 2021 but in negotiations since the Smash Ballot in 2015, only minimally references ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'', which was released in 2019.

** At the beginning of developing a ''Super Smash Bros.'' game, the team naturally decides on a project plan for the general concept of the game, which includes modes, changes to the battle system, and characters. The typical development cycle is a little above 2 years for each game, so the final product tends to feature characters or references that have become less relevant once the game is released (or completely lack ones that fans would expect). They do attempt to avert this by asking other Nintendo development teams about what they're working on, but since those projects are ''also'' in the midst of development, that can cause some issues in and of itself. Notably, this is the reason why ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' only has a trophy referencing ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'', another referencing ''VideoGame/Pikmin2001'', and a character whose game wasn't even out yet back then (Roy, being a MovesetClone of Marth and thus having very little in common to his actual portrayal from his own game).

* ''WesternAnimation/TheEmojiMovie'' was hit hard by this trope, with pretty much all the apps and slang featured in the film being already outdated again when the movie finally came out, despite it having a ridiculously short production time for a major studio animated film (from concept to final product in a mere ''two years''). This was lampshaded in the ''[[WebVideo/HonestTrailers Honest Trailer]]'' of the film.

* High Score was a shortlived animated series from Matt Wilson, originally competing with Homestar Runner. The characters were later redesigned for ''WebAnimation/BonusStage'', which used a simpler style in order to allow a faster release cycle, necessary for Matt to keep pace as the show's creator, writer, animator, voice actor (of pretty much every character barring a few exceptions toward the end of the show's run), sound designer...

** The special "It's Only Rock 'n Roll", guest starring the Music/BackstreetBoys, has a 2002 copyright date, but was presumably produced sometime prior to then given that the Backstreet Boys are shown in their white outfits from the cover of their ''Millennium'' album, which was already close to four years old by then. Not to mention the fact that the Boys were on hiatus at the time the episode was broadcast.