A quarter-century has passed since the Broken Lizard comedy troupe created one of cinema’s most unlikely cult classics, and Super Troopers is celebrating its 25th anniversary the only way it knows how: with a new film in the franchise.
Super Troopers 3 arrives in theaters on August 7, 2026, marking the third installment in what has become a testament to the power of grassroots fandom. The original film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2001, before receiving its wider theatrical release on February 15, 2002.
The new film reunites the entire Broken Lizard ensemble—Jay Chandrasekhar (who also directs), Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske. Brian Cox returns as Captain John O’Hagan, with Marisa Coughlan reprising her role as Ursula Hanson. Fresh to the franchise are Nat Faxon, Chace Crawford, Andrew Dismukes, Hannah Simone, Iqbal Theba, Sakina Jaffrey, Jon Rudnitsky, and Lisa Gilroy.
The plot finds the Vermont State Patrol squad navigating fresh chaos when Farva’s wildly over-the-top Indian engagement to Thorny’s sister spirals out of control. While Thorny schemes to break up the relationship, the troopers also pursue a dangerous new drug ring. The film, which runs 100 minutes, will be distributed by Searchlight Pictures.
The original Super Troopers cost just three million dollars to make and was sold to Fox Searchlight at Sundance in 2001. During its initial theatrical run, it earned 23.2 million dollars at the box office. While respectable for such a modest budget, the figure seemed unremarkable to major studios at the time. But something unexpected happened in the years that followed: the film refused to fade away.
By the mid-2000s, members of Broken Lizard realized their modest cop comedy was becoming something of a cult phenomenon. What emerged was what one troupe member described as a grassroots movement—fans discovered the film on home media and through word of mouth, spreading its particular brand of absurdist humor across generations. The film filled with quotable dialogue, running gags, and absurd situations featuring mischievous Vermont state troopers and their prank-loving antics, the film became beloved precisely because critics had largely dismissed it.
The franchise’s persistence proved studios wrong. A sequel finally emerged in 2018, after a gap of 17 years. Super Troopers 2 arrived with a $13.5 million budget and grossed 32 million dollars worldwide, exceeding the earnings of the original film. For a comedy sequel arriving nearly two decades after the first film, this represented a remarkable endorsement from audiences who had maintained their connection to these characters.
The trek to Super Troopers 2 was not without its challenges. The film faced a troubled development period as studios remained skeptical that a sequel produced over a decade after the original could find an audience. A successful crowdfunding campaign ultimately proved the doubters wrong, generating 4.7 million dollars overall and providing the seed money needed to greenlight the project. Combined, the first two films grossed 55 million dollars globally against a combined production budget of under 15 million dollars.
The original film’s legacy rests on more than just box office success. Super Troopers has endured as a source of quotable moments that became woven into pop culture. The iconic “meow” game, references to a “liter of cola,” and countless other lines live on through memes, Halloween costumes, and fan meetups more than two decades later. These moments possess a particular staying power, combining immaturity and wordplay with surprising relatability.
Broken Lizard was formed in 1989 at Colgate University in upstate New York. Before Super Troopers, the troupe created Puddle Cruiser in 1996. After their breakthrough, they went on to make Club Dread, Beerfest, The Slammin’ Salmon, and the Hulu film Quasi, released in 2023. But Super Troopers remains their calling card—the property that defines their career.
The path to the third film began in 2018, when director Chandrasekhar announced plans for Super Troopers 3: Winter Soldiers, and the Broken Lizard members began writing the script. While the subtitle was eventually dropped, the project remained in development, finally moving to production in August 2025. Filming wrapped just a couple of months later, demonstrating the efficiency these filmmakers have developed over their years of working together.
Production efficiency has always been central to the Super Troopers formula. The first film’s three million dollar budget and subsequent films’ modest costs have consistently yielded strong returns relative to their investment. This lean approach stands in contrast to much of contemporary Hollywood, where budgets have ballooned and studios remain cautious about comedy ventures.
With Super Troopers 3 set to release late next summer, a quarter-century of mustaches, maple syrup, and absurdist humor comes full circle. A film that studios initially deemed unmarketable has become proof that patience, persistence, and a committed fan base can sustain entertainment legacies in ways traditional metrics never anticipated. The Super Troopers remain unshakeable evidence that comedy born from genuine creative chemistry and an willingness to embrace the ridiculous continues to resonate across generations.