Fox's That '70s Show aired for eight seasons, from 1998 to 2006, but its main protagonist, Eric Forman, left after the seventh. Although Eric's departure was a shock for fans, star Topher Grace had a practical reason for his early exit.

That '70s Show followed a group of teenagers coming of age in the mid- to late-1970s, in fictional Point Place, Wisconsin. As Eric grows older, he realizes he wants more out of life than sitting around in the basement with his friends. After a little soul-searching, he discovers teaching is his passion. His guidance counselor says he can receive a full scholarship if he first participates in a program that will send him to Africa to teach for a year. Eric decides to do it, which is how That '70s Show eventually wrote off the character.

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Why Did Topher Grace Leave That '70s Show?

Eric Foreman That 70s Show

In a way, soul-searching is what led Grace to exit That '70s Show, too. The sitcom was his first acting role, but over the course of seven seasons, Grace had a few small parts in movies like Traffic, Ocean's Eleven and Mona Lisa Smile. In 2004, he was also the romantic lead in Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! The experience inspired Grace to pursue more film roles. However, television schedules are demanding, so he was limited with what he could do while starring on That '70s Show. The only way Grace could follow his own passion was to leave the show entirely.

Grace built a sustainable movie career after his departure from That '70s Show, beginning, most prominently, with the role of Eddie Brock, aka Venom, in 2007's Spider-Man 3. While that movie marked the end of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, the casting was a big deal for Grace. Venom was one of the film's antagonists, which was quite different from his role as amiable good guy Eric Forman. However, after that, Grace's film career slowed. Leaving a stable television role is a gamble, and it took a little longer to pay off. In recent years, Grace has landed roles in major films, including Interstella, alongside Jessica Chastain, and BlacKkKlansman, with John David Washington.

While Grace eventually went on to build a respectable film career, he never forgot his roots. He made a return for That '70s Show's finale, allowing Eric to reunite with Donna and rekindle their relationship. Co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis also pursued film careers, with Kutcher following Grace's lead and leaving That '70s Show before its finale. Despite his jump to the big screen, That '70s Show cemented Topher Grace's legacy. He will always be known as Eric Foreman -- and that's not a bad thing.

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Will Eric Forman Return for That '90s Show?

Topher Grace smiles in a plaid shirt against a grey background

A return to Point Place, Wisconsin, was announced in 2021, when Netflix picked up 10 episodes of a spinoff called That '90s Show. While fans can't help but wonder what the Forman's house will look like when Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty's (Debra Jo Rupp) granddaughter, Leia, arrives to spend the summer 20 years later, an even more important question arises: Will Topher Grace reprise his role for the spinoff?

Don't worry. Leia is the daughter of the original series' lovebirds Eric and Donna (Laura Prepon), and both will return as special guest stars.

That '90s Show plans to follow a similar formula to the original, following the adventures of Leia Forman and the teenage friends she makes while visiting Wisconsin in the summer of 1995. Much like her parents, Leia and friends will probably spend a lot of time in Red and Kitty's basement, pondering life, love and the pursuit of freedom.

With Leia spending the summer with her grandparents, it's unlikely Eric and Donna will feature beyond a couple of cameos. However, they will definitely give viewers a glimpse at what they've been up to over the past 20 years. Also returning are most of the show's original cast, including Eric and Donna's friends Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), Jackie (Mila Kunis) and Fez (Wilmer Valderrama).