“Superbad” is a movie absolutely overflowing with talent, both behind and in front of the camera. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, two of the most reliable and in-demand creators in Hollywood, penned the screenplay, with Rogen also appearing as Officer Michaels. Judd Apatow (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) served as a producer, with the likes of Oscar-winner Emma Stone, Oscar-nominee Jonah Hill, and Michael Cera leading the cast, amongst many others. But at the time of the movie’s release, these stars weren’t shining nearly as bright as they did after the movie came out. In fact, Rogen and Goldberg had been working on the script for years and struggled to actually get it made.
Apatow had certainly had success at this point and Rogen was a rising star, having starred in “Freaks and Geeks” as a teen. But the collection of stars that came to be weren’t shining quite as bright at that time. Beyond that, it all came down to studios having an aversion to R-rated comedy — especially comedy geared towards a younger audience.
Sure, “American Pie” and its sequels had done well, but those were viewed as the exception and not the rule. Before 2007 R-rated comedies that proved to be hits were few and far between, with “There’s Something About Mary,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Coming to America,” “Wedding Crashers,” “Old School,” “Borat,” “The Birdcage,” and “Jackass: The Movie” serving as a few examples. But they weren’t made frequently and hardly any of them were of the teen sex comedy variety.
