“The Inbetweeners,” the hit British teen comedy series that gave the world a crude library of hilarious and childish quotes, not to mention two blockbuster spin-off films, appears poised to make a comeback.
Banijay UK and Fudge Park Productions, the company founded in 2015 by series creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley, have struck a deal which they say “paves the way for the return of the hit comedy title”. It’s not yet clear what form “The Inbetweeners” will return in and on what platform, although Morris and Beesley have suggested it will revolve around the original characters.
“It’s incredibly exciting to be cooking up more adventures for our four favorite friends (ooh friends),” they said in a statement.
Originally broadcast on E4 in the UK between 2008 and 2019, ‘The Inbetweeners’ follows the misadventures of suburban teenager Will MacKenzie and his friends Simon Cooper, Neil Sutherland and Jay Cartwright at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive as they navigate school life, friendship, male bonding, lad culture and dating failed sexual relations. It was originally conceived as a more realistic counterpoint to the hit British show “Skins,” featuring an awkward and – as Morris suggested at the time – mostly “shit” adolescence.
More than three series of “The Inbetweeners” have set new audience records for the channel and won numerous awards. Two successful films followed, released in 2011 and 2014 respectively. The first set a record for the biggest opening weekend for a British comedy at the time of its release, with the sequel also breaking box office records.
Made by Bwark Productions, the original company founded by Morris and Beesley, which was later sold to Zodiak Media (acquired by Banijay in 2016), the new deal unlocks what is described as “the rights and potential to bring ‘The Inbetweeners’ back to new audiences across a range of platforms, including film, television and stage.”
“We are delighted to announce this exciting partnership with Banijay who shares our vision and ambition for one of the most iconic comedies in British history,” said Jonathan Blyth, Managing Director of Fudge Park. “It’s a wonderful time for fans, there are exciting conversations happening and more news to follow.”
Patrick Holland, CEO of Banijay UK, added: “I’ve worked with Damon and Iain on a number of Fudge Park projects over the years and was delighted to start the conversation with them again about the future of ‘The Inbetweeners’. They have an infectious creative vision for the brand that will resonate with audiences old and new, so I can’t wait to get started.”
Banijay Rights is a distributor of “The Inbetweeners”.
Since the series ended, Morris and Beesley have worked on numerous projects, either together or separately, and teamed up on the comedy film “The Festival” and later on the BBC series “The First Team.” Beesley also created the series “White Gold,” starring many of the cast of “The Inbetweeners,” while Morris co-wrote the sports comedy “Next Goal Wins” alongside Taika Waititi, was among the creators of the Apple series “Time Bandits” and recently directed the Netflix feature film “My Oxford Year.”
