Universal must really like Broken Lizard. Not only has the studio agreed to pick up the comedy group’s film Rogue Scholars but a second untitled project too. THR reports that Motion Picture Corporation of America has jumped on board as well and will finance both films through its studio feature film investment fund.
Rogue Scholars will star the group members - Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske – as five rowdy college professors. The plan is to attract audiences of all ages by having younger actors play the students, the Broken Lizard team star as the professors and more seasoned actors portray the administration. Details on the second project have yet to be revealed. As usual, the crew will also be penning the scripts both of which are currently in development.
Teaming up with Broken Lizard is a solid deal for Universal. With films like Super Troopers and Beerfest as well as gigs for Comedy Central and a recently wrapped comedy tour, these guys have amassed a significant fan base. On top of that, both films will likely be created for a relatively small budget. Cheap films that make a decent buck at the box office and continue to pull in more through DVD sales? I’d say that’s a sensible reason to green light more Broken Lizard films.
