Netflix confirms Inbetweeners 3 movie as it releases teaser with Will, Simon, Jay and Neil
After 12 years and multiple false scares where it felt like The Inbetweeners were coming back, Netflix has confirmed that Will, Simon, Jay, and Neil are officially returning.
The Inbetweeners 3 is going to be a Netflix film, with the streamer releasing a teaser trailer in which the actors behind the roles are shown reuniting in their iconic yellow Fiat.
News had broken earlier this year that The Inbetweeners was coming back for one more ride, however, there were always doubts from fans due to the previous ‘reunion special’, which had been mistaken by some online for a genuine return to the show.
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Several of the cast had actually denied that they would ever return to the role, with James Buckley previously having said there 'isn't enough money in the world' to make them come back to the characters for fear any reboot would ruin the fan perception of the characters.
Simon Bird also stated in a 2024 interview with MailOnline: "I’m afraid to be the one pouring cold water on this but it’s not happening. I can tell you emphatically that there are no prospects of a reunion.
“[The cast would] be happy to but it’s not up to us, it’s up to the writers, Iain [Morris] and Damon [Beesley] and I know they’re both very busy these days. It’s not more likely to happen now than it was ten years ago I’m afraid."
One of the reasons Bird gave for the series not returning for a new season or third film was actually that he felt the 'comedy embodied' a certain time and would be tricky to replicate, something which fans clearly are also concerned about.
One comment on the Instagram announcement said: "I hope it’s the same comedy that worked, rather than making it 'modern'. The new Frasier series’s were awful because they changed what worked to 'modern' comedy, amongst lots of other things that have comebacks."
Another said they hoped it would be like 'the actual Inbetweeners' and a third commented: "PLEASE keep it the same as it always was."
It is now confirmed though that, for better or worse, one of the most iconic British TV comedies of the 21st century is coming back. The cast have not directly confirmed this until this point, where they return as their characters in the teaser, with Joe Thomas having offered one of the rare comments from the four actors on news of a reunion.
He told The Sun earlier this year: "I feel enormously close to all those people and, obviously, I love spending time with them. If there was an opportunity to spend more time with them in any capacity, I’d love that... that’s pretty much all I can say."
He went on to add that as long as writers Morris and Beesley were convinced they had a good idea and were willing to come back, he'd be keen on a return.
The return comes after it was announced last year that the creators' production company had struck a deal that would allow them to bring back the characters for new projects, with Morris and Beesley saying on social media: "Incredibly exciting to be plotting more adventures for our four favourite friends (ooh friends)."
The movie is now filming, but no release date has yet been confirmed.
What have the cast of The Inbetweeners been up to since the show ended?
Simon Bird
Since his days of playing Will McKenzie, Simon Bird has starred in the beloved sitcom Friday Night Dinner (2011-2020), and Everyone Else Burns (2023-present).
The 42-year-old has also moved behind the camera to direct projects like Days of the Bagnold Summer (2019) and the BBC's BAFTA-winning Such Brave Girls, and is set to feature in the upcoming Star Wars film, Starfighter.
Bird married author Lisa Owens back in 2012, and the pair have two children together.
James Buckley
The Jay Cartwright actor has utilised his character’s crudeness to his advantage, making a mint on personalised video platform Cameo.
Over the years, James Buckley, now 39, has performed in the West End and had occasional roles in TV and film, recently starring in the British comedy-drama film Mother's Pride.
He’s also made a name for himself in the podcast world, including Joe and James Fact Up, which he hosts alongside his Inbetweeners co-star Joe Thomas, and The Buckleys with his wife of 13 years, Clair. The couple share two sons together.
Joe Thomas
After playing Simon in The Inbetweeners series and its subsequent hit films, the actor bagged some major roles on our screens, including Chickens (2011-2013), White Gold (2017-2019) and most memorably as Kingsley Owen in Fresh Meat (2011-2016).
In a life imitates art moment, the 42-year-old is engaged to his Inbetweeners co-star, Hannah Tointon, who played Simon’s girlfriend Tara in the third season of the show. They have been together since meeting on set in 2010 and welcomed a daughter in 2022.
Blake Harrison
From the Dad's Army film (2016) and shows like World on Fire (2019-2023) and Kate & Koji (2020-2022) to voiceover work in the Bob the Builder reboot, Blake Harrison has made moves (perhaps not as good as Neil’s) in the entertainment industry.
The 41-year-old recently appeared in the movie Fing! and is starring in the upcoming Mark Gatiss mystery series Bookish.
Harrison met his now-wife, Kerry Ann Lynch, during a pub crawl for Joe Thomas' birthday in 2009. They got married in 2015 and have two kids together.
Emily Head
Since her breakout role as Carli D'Amato in the E4 sitcom, Emily Head, 37, has built a successful career in TV and theatre.
Most notably, she appeared in Emmerdale (2016-2018), BBC drama The Syndicate (2021), and wrote and performed in her own one-woman play, The System (2021).
Greg Davies
While Mr Gilbert was a memorable character, it’s now just a small part of Greg Davies’ career as he’s since established himself as one of the most recognisable figures in British comedy.
The 58-year-old has starred in sitcoms like Cuckoo (2012-2019), created and fronted Man Down (2013-2017), and regularly appeared on panel shows.
However, Davies’ biggest success has been as the host of the BAFTA-winning game show, Taskmaster.
Topics: The Inbetweeners, Netflix, TV and Film, Film
Michael Slavin