The Big Picture · Interview
April 20, 2018/ 42 min/ Sean Fennessey
Jay Chandrasekhar on why it took 17 years to make Super Troopers 2, crowdfunding it past a skeptical Fox, and why he'd rather keep fighting for R-rated theatrical comedy than sell the franchise to Netflix.
7 films across 1 segment.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
Jay Chandrasekhar on the long road back to the mustache
The reason for the sit-down: Broken Lizard back in uniform 17 years on, released by Fox only after the troupe raised the money themselves ($4.6M from a crowdfunding campaign toward a $13.5M budget). Set on the Vermont border again, this time over a real post-9/11 U.S.-Canada boundary dispute.
The original: a modest theatrical run, then a 'monstrous' one on DVD that made it a dorm-room staple. Chandrasekhar figures a streaming-first release would never have earned the same rewatch loyalty.
One of the Broken Lizard films between the two Super Troopers, part of a deliberately 'Python-esque' spread rather than sequels to one hit.
The troupe's horror movie, cited as proof they refused to get typecast the way the Police Academy crew did.
Broken Lizard's restaurant comedy, named in the same run of movies they made to avoid one lane.
A for-hire studio directing gig Chandrasekhar took alongside the Broken Lizard projects and 110-plus episodes of TV.
Rob Lowe played a Canadian in this hockey movie and wanted to do it again; he signed on to Super Troopers 2's villain sight unseen after working with Chandrasekhar on The Grinder.
Also mentioned raised along the way
The studio-economics argument Iron ManKramer vs. KramerThe GodfatherCaddyshackPolice Academy
Crowdfunding and comparisons Veronica MarsOcean's ElevenMichael Clayton
The state of the studio comedy BlockersGame NightGet OutA Quiet Place
Coming up on the show The Devil and Father Amorth
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV The CrownArrested DevelopmentCommunityThe Grinder
Unmade American Indian
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