Entertainment

Netflix Confirms Third Inbetweeners Film With Full Original Cast Returning

By Georg Szalai

Netflix has announced that a third installment of the popular British comedy franchise The Inbetweeners is officially in production, with filming beginning this week in the United Kingdom. The streaming service described the project as a continuation of the beloved sitcom and its two previous blockbuster films.

Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas will all return to play the original lead characters, Will McKenzie, Jay Cartwright, Neil Sutherland and Simon Cooper, whose comedic misadventures made the show a hit. Series creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris are once again taking charge of writing and directing duties.

The new film is being produced by Claire Jones, along with Patrick Holland of Banijay and Mark Lesbirel of Fudge Park Productions. Executive producers include Caroline Levy, Caroline Leddy, Phil Gilbert, Suzanne Knight, Tom Jordan and Farhana Bhula of Film4, alongside Morris and Beesley.

"It's been super-fun hanging out with our friends again, and we're going to work hard every week to ensure there are no problemos making this new film for humans," Beesley and Morris said in a joint statement.

The Inbetweeners originally aired on Channel 4 from 2008 to 2010, chronicling the everyday struggles of teenager Will McKenzie and his friends Simon, Neil and Jay at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive school, as they dealt with school life, friendships and awkward romantic pursuits. The series broke ratings records for the network across its three seasons and earned several awards.

Its success led to two feature films backed by Film4, released in 2011 and 2014. The first became the highest-grossing opening weekend for a British comedy at the time, a milestone the sequel also surpassed.

Rumors of a third film have circulated for years. Last year, rights holder Banijay U.K. signed a deal with Morris and Beesley through their company, Fudge Park Productions, fueling speculation about the franchise's revival. That project has now found its home at Netflix, which released a short teaser video announcing the show's return.