Fans of the cult comedy film Super Troopers (2001) have been clamoring for a sequel for several years, but the filmmakers - a group of friends known as the comedy troupe Broken Lizard - pursued other comedic endeavors in the ten years that followed, which ultimately became a string of critical and commercial failures (Club Dread, Beerfest, The Slammin' Salmon). However, those flops, combined with the insistence of their loyal and passionate fan base has prompted the Lizards to finally put Super Troopers 2 into action.

A few months back, we heard that a finished script was turned in to 20th Century Fox and that the group was ready to start shooting later this year. The only remaining hurdle was securing funding and according to the Lizards themselves, that's one hurdle they haven't been able to clear yet.

While appearing as guests on comedian Bert Kreischer's podcast, Bertcast, earlier this week, group members Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme said that the studio has agreed to distribute the film, but that it will not provide a budget for production or marketing, which Fox execs said needs to be at least $15 million in total.

The deal basically puts Broken Lizard in the same position it was in when it made the first film. The Lizards will have to raise the money themselves independently - like they did for Super Troopers - by asking friends and private investors.

Said Heffernan:

"We're hoping that it's not going to be that hard because there are people with money out there who are fans."

If all else fails, the group is considering using the fundraising site Kickstarter, which has proven to be successful for projects such as the Veronica Mars movie.

Said Lemme:

"We don't have that kind of money, so Kickstarter seems like a legitimate way to do it."

Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme
Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme

While not getting studio funding may seem like a setback for the project, Heffernan and Lemme said they were happy with the deal, considering that it takes care of distribution and that it means there will be no studio meddling when it actually comes time to shoot.

Said Heffernan:

"We certainly don't have any interference with the studio. We can make the movie we want to make."

The fact that the studio wouldn't be involved with production may be the best piece of news for hardcore fans who want to see a no-holds-barred sequel to the film they love. What's also nice to see for fans is that the filmmakers seem determined to make Super Troopers 2 happen no matter which fundraising route they have to take. They also told Kreischer that they weren't working on any other films, which suggests that their sole focus is on the Super Troopers sequel.

Would you contribute some hard earned cash to see Car Ramrod ride again? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to how Super Troopers 2 develops. We'll let you know when production gets underway.

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Source: Bert Kreischer's Bertcast