The Current Situation
First things first: Yes, it’s happening. Searchlight Pictures has confirmed that the comedy troupe Broken Lizard is returning for a third installment, which officially hit theaters on August 7, 2026. This means the long-running gags and highway antics
you might have heard about are fresh for a new generation of moviegoers. The entire main cast is back, ensuring the chemistry that made the original a cult hit remains firmly intact. The beauty of this franchise is that it’s never been about dense, serialized plotting. Each film is a self-contained story built on a foundation of irreverent humor, making it easy for newcomers to get in on the joke.
Meet the Troopers
The heart of the franchise is five Vermont State Troopers who are far more interested in pranking motorists than enforcing the law. You don't need their life stories, just their archetypes. Arcot "Thorny" Ramathorn (Jay Chandrasekhar) is the unofficial leader. Mac Womack (Steve Lemme) and Carl Foster (Paul Soter) are the primary pranksters. Erik Stolhanske's "Rabbit" is the perpetually hazed rookie. And then there's Rodney Farva (Kevin Heffernan), the loud, obnoxious, and universally disliked wildcard who always makes things worse. Guiding them is the perpetually exasperated Captain O'Hagan (Brian Cox), who is constantly on the verge of firing them all. Their dynamic is simple: they're goofballs with badges who love messing with each other and the public.
The Gags You'll Probably Hear Again
While you don’t need to see the originals, knowing a few key running jokes will make you feel like an insider. The most famous is the "Cat Game," where a trooper tries to say "meow" as many times as possible during a routine traffic stop. Another is Farva's infamous order for a "liter of cola," a moment that perfectly captures his abrasive personality. You'll also likely hear references to "shenanigans," a word the troopers drove their captain crazy with, and maybe even a mention of chugging maple syrup. These inside jokes are the franchise's connective tissue, but they're simple enough to pick up on the fly. The plots change, but the pranks are eternal.
A Super-Quick Recap of the First Two Movies
The plots of the Super Troopers films are mostly just an excuse for the comedy. In the first film (2001), the troopers are on the verge of being shut down due to budget cuts and must solve a drug-smuggling case to save their jobs, all while feuding with the local Spurbury Police Department. They bumble their way to success, becoming local heroes in the process. In Super Troopers 2 (2018), the crew is brought out of retirement after a land survey reveals a small Canadian town actually belongs to the U.S. They're tasked with overseeing the transition, which naturally leads to a culture clash with the local Mounties and another smuggling operation to uncover. In both cases, the formula is the same: the troopers stumble upon a crime much bigger than their usual highway patrol duties and solve it through a combination of luck and absurdity.
