Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 31, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Superbad

Superbad is a 2007 American coming-of-age teen buddy comedy film directed by Greg Mottola and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

Updated July 31, 20261 min readCited sources

Superbad is a 2007 teen comedy about two high school friends trying to buy alcohol before graduation. Written by Canadians Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, it became a cult classic.

What it is

Superbad is an American coming-of-age buddy comedy directed by Greg Mottola. It follows co-dependent seniors Seth and Evan (Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) as their plan to buy beer for a party spirals into a chaotic night of misadventures. The film also introduced Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the iconic Fogell, aka McLovin.

Why it matters

Beyond its box-office success ($170.8 million on a $20 million budget), Superbad is a notable Canadian creative contribution. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote the screenplay, bringing a distinctly Canadian voice to a defining American teen comedy. The film is widely regarded as a cult classic and a benchmark for the genre.

Key details

Released August 17, 2007, the film stars Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seth Rogen, Bill Hader, and Emma Stone. Produced by Judd Apatow and directed by Greg Mottola, it marked the feature debut of Mintz-Plasse. The budget was roughly $17.5–20 million.

In short

  • Follows two high school seniors trying to buy alcohol for a party.
  • Stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, with Christopher Mintz-Plasse as McLovin.
  • Written by Canadians Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
  • Grossed $170.8 million worldwide and became a cult classic.
Canadian angle

Superbad was written by Canadians Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, making it a notable Canadian creative contribution to a major American comedy film.

Quick questions

What is Superbad about?
Two high school seniors try to buy alcohol for a party before graduation, leading to a chaotic night.
Who wrote Superbad?
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote the screenplay.
Was Superbad a box-office success?
Yes, it grossed about $170.8 million worldwide on a $17.5–20 million budget.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superbad
    Supports: Basic film identification, plot, cast, director, writers, release date, budget, and box office figures.
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0829482/
    Supports: Plot synopsis and film identification.
  3. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/superbad
    Supports: Synopsis, release date, genre, and rating.
  4. Common Sense Media — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/superbad
    Supports: Director, cast, runtime, rating, and content description.