The Inbetweeners film series is the cinema continuation of the British E4 sitcom about four suburban schoolboys. It began with a 2011 film, a sequel followed in 2014, and a third instalment is now in production.
A British comedy franchise
The Inbetweeners is a British comedy about four teenage friends at an ordinary comprehensive school. They are not popular, but they are not quite outcasts either. The title refers to that middle ground. The central characters are Will McKenzie, a former private-school pupil who narrates the story; Simon Cooper, who spends years pining after a childhood friend; Jay Cartwright, who boasts constantly about sexual exploits that plainly never happened; and Neil Sutherland, who is good-natured and slow on the uptake.
Its humour comes from embarrassment. The characters fail at parties, driving lessons, school trips and romance, often in crude and very public ways. It is set in an unremarkable English suburb, and the dialogue is full of the teasing that goes on between friends. That realism is a large part of why British audiences who grew up in the same years found it familiar.
The franchise now covers a television series, two released feature films, a short-lived American remake and a third film in production. In everyday British conversation, “the Inbetweeners movie” usually means the first film. The phrase is now also used for the new instalment.
Origins on television
The sitcom first aired on E4, the Channel 4 entertainment channel aimed at younger viewers, in 2008. It ran for three series until 2010, and its audience grew mainly through word of mouth, repeats and DVD sales. Rudge Park Comprehensive, the school, and its sixth form gave the show most of its settings. Many of its scenes became widely quoted in Britain.
The first feature film was released in 2011, after the television series ended. It follows the four friends on a lads’ holiday to a Greek party resort just after they finish school. That kind of trip was a common rite of passage for British school-leavers, and putting the characters in it made the step from television to cinema feel natural. The film did well commercially in the UK and is often listed among the most successful British comedies at the domestic box office of its time.
A sequel, The Inbetweeners 2, came out in 2014. It sends the group backpacking in Australia, where Jay has gone during a gap year. It kept the tone of the first film and was again popular with British audiences. For several years after that, the four characters’ story was widely treated as finished.
The third film and how the franchise works today
The franchise is active again because a third film is in production. Digital Spy reports that James Buckley, who plays Jay, has described a prank on the set of The Inbetweeners 3 that brought filming to a halt. That anecdote is what has driven the recent wave of searches. The source material does not say what the prank involved in any detail that can be confirmed here.
Many details of the new film are not known from that material: its release date, its plot, where it is set, who is distributing it, and which supporting characters return. Readers should treat unconfirmed claims about these points with caution until the production or a reputable outlet announces them.
Between the films, the franchise has stayed popular through streaming, television repeats and clips shared online. The original series and both films are regularly rediscovered by viewers too young to have seen them first time round. That gives a new film a ready-made audience of both long-standing fans and newer ones.
Common misconceptions
One frequent mistake is to treat the American version as part of the same story. MTV made a US remake of the series in 2012 with new actors and a different setting. It was cancelled after one season and has no link to the British films.
A second mistake is to assume the films are a reboot. The British films continue directly from the television series, with the same characters played by the same principal cast. Each film moves the group into a new stage of early adulthood rather than starting over.
A third point of confusion is where the first film was shot. It is set in the Greek resort of Malia, on Crete, but much of it is generally reported to have been filmed in Spain, in Majorca. Audiences often assume the location on screen is where the cameras actually were.
Finally, anecdotes from the set, such as the prank Digital Spy reports, are sometimes taken as signs of production trouble. The reporting does not suggest anything beyond a brief stoppage during filming. Behind-the-scenes stories like this are a normal part of how a film is talked about before release.
Where to look next
Anyone new to the franchise should start with the three television series, because the films assume viewers know the characters and the jokes that run through them. The two released films can then be watched in order. Both are regularly available on British streaming and television services, though which service carries them changes over time.
For news on the third film, the most reliable sources are official announcements from the production and distributor, followed by established entertainment publications. British film trade coverage and the British Film Institute’s material on UK comedy put the franchise in the context of British screen comedy more generally. Fan communities collect quotes and episode guides, but their claims about the unreleased film should be checked against official statements.
Frequently asked questions
Is there going to be an Inbetweeners 3?
Yes. A third Inbetweeners film is in production. Digital Spy has reported a story from James Buckley about a prank on the set of The Inbetweeners 3 that briefly stopped filming. That confirms cameras have been rolling. Other details, including the release date and plot, have not been confirmed in the material available, so readers should wait for official announcements before relying on reports about them.
How many Inbetweeners films are there?
Two Inbetweeners films have been released so far. The Inbetweeners Movie came out in 2011 and follows the friends on a holiday in Greece. The Inbetweeners 2 followed in 2014 and takes them to Australia. A third film is currently in production. The franchise began as a sitcom on E4 that ran for three series between 2008 and 2010.
Where was The Inbetweeners Movie filmed?
The first Inbetweeners film is set in Malia, a Greek party resort on the island of Crete. Much of the filming is generally reported to have taken place in Majorca, Spain, which stood in for the Greek setting. Using one holiday resort to represent another is common in film production, so the location on screen often differs from where it was actually filmed.
Do I need to watch the TV series before the films?
It is not strictly necessary, but it helps a great deal. The films continue directly from the E4 sitcom with the same characters, and much of the humour depends on knowing their personalities, relationships and long-running jokes. The three television series are short, so watching them first is a practical way to get the most out of the films.
Is the American Inbetweeners connected to the films?
No. The American Inbetweeners was a separate remake made for MTV in 2012, with a different cast and a US setting. It lasted one season before being cancelled. The British films continue the original E4 series and have no story connection to the American version, which is often mixed up with the British franchise in searches.
Sources and further reading
- Digital Spy: entertainment reporting on the third film and the set prank anecdote
- E4 and Channel 4: broadcaster information on the original television series
- British Film Institute: background on British screen comedy and domestic box office
- British film trade press: coverage of production and distribution of UK comedies
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