Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe behind the cult-favorite Super Troopers franchise, recently sat down for a lively Q&A session following the opening night of Super Troopers 3. The event, moderated by Collider's Steve Weintraub, gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the threequel and offered tantalizing hints about what's next for the group, including potential sequels to Super Troopers 4 and Beerfest.
The Q&A, which was broadcast live to 1,100 theaters across North America, featured the entire core cast: Kevin Heffernan (Farva), Jay Chandrasekhar (Thorny), Steve Lemme (Mac), Paul Soter (Foster), and Erik Stolhanske (Rabbit). The group discussed the challenges of getting an R-rated comedy into theaters in today's market, the meticulous writing process behind their films, and the enduring appeal of their most iconic jokes.
The State of R-Rated Comedies
When asked why studios seem hesitant to greenlight more R-rated comedies, Chandrasekhar pointed to the lingering effects of the pandemic. "COVID kind of squashed all movies. They're slowly coming back genre by genre, and this genre's still in the process of coming back," he explained. Heffernan added that mid-budget comedies often fall into a "no man's land" between big-budget tentpoles and low-budget indie films, making them a risky investment for studios. The group emphasized the unique joy of experiencing comedy in a packed theater, with Lemme noting, "Seeing a comedy in a theater, with all these people around you laughing at the same time, is such a great feeling."
The Craft Behind the Chaos
Fans might assume that Broken Lizard's films are largely improvised, but Heffernan revealed that the opposite is true. "We still write 30 drafts of a script before we shoot it," he said, explaining that their background in independent film taught them to perfect every line before cameras roll. Lemme joked that this meticulous approach is why it's so funny when critics dismiss their work as careless. "We put a lot of work into those dick jokes," he quipped, with Heffernan adding, "They're well-crafted dick jokes."
Fan-Favorite Lines and the Infamous Chicken Fucker
The group was asked which lines from the first two films they're tired of hearing, but they insisted they never get old. Heffernan did share a hilarious anecdote about the "chicken fucker" line from Super Troopers 2, which was crowdfunded. As part of the campaign, fans could pay to have Heffernan record a personalized video saying the line. "I spent three days in my backyard in a uniform recording chicken fucker videos," he recalled, listing off names like "Jim, you're a chicken fucker. Bill, you're a chicken fucker." Stolhanske joked that he would have loved to be Heffernan's neighbor during that bizarre marathon.
What's Next: Super Troopers 4 and Beerfest 2?
When the conversation turned to the future, the group teased the possibility of Super Troopers 4 and a sequel to Beerfest. While no official announcements were made, the enthusiasm was palpable. "We'll see if we can help it back," Chandrasekhar said about the genre's resurgence, hinting that more Broken Lizard projects could be on the horizon. For fans of the franchise, the prospect of another installment is exciting, especially given the group's track record of delivering laugh-out-loud moments.
As for the current film, Super Troopers 3 brings back familiar faces like Brian Cox and Marisa Coughlan, while introducing new characters played by Nat Faxon, Chace Crawford, and Lynda Carter. The plot centers on Farva's wedding to Thorny's sister, Sarita, with the gang stumbling into a crime ring along the way. The film is now playing in theaters, and for those who missed the live Q&A, the full video is available above.
Broken Lizard's enduring appeal lies in their ability to blend absurd humor with genuine camaraderie, and their latest outing is no exception. Whether they'll revisit the world of Super Troopers or Beerfest remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the group shows no signs of slowing down. For more on the comedy landscape, check out our coverage of Will Ferrell's latest streaming hit and the supernatural noir western that's turning heads.
