Netflix greenlights principal photography in the UK
Netflix confirmed on Sept. 7 that production has officially started in the United Kingdom on The Inbetweeners 3, a feature film continuation of the sitcom that originally aired on Channel 4's E4 network from 2008 to 2010 and spawned theatrical releases in 2011 and 2014. The streamer framed the project as a global Netflix Original film, with the production base anchored in the UK and the announcement timed to coincide with cameras rolling on the first day of shooting.
Returning cast locked around the four original leads
The principal cast is built around the four original series leads: Simon Bird as Will McKenzie, James Buckley as Jay Cartwright, Blake Harrison as Neil Sutherland and Joe Thomas as Simon Cooper. The reunion was positioned by Netflix as the central selling point, with the streamer emphasizing that the core quartet is intact. Trade coverage noted that additional cast, including recurring characters from the original run, has not yet been disclosed by the company, leaving room for the official cast list to expand later in production.
Beesley and Morris back as writers and directors
Series creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris are attached to write and direct the new film, reprising the creative roles they held on the original series and its two theatrical predecessors. In a statement released alongside the production announcement, the pair said it had been "super-fun hanging out with our friends again" and that they would "work hard every week to ensure there are no problemos making this new film for humans." The decision places writing and direction with the same creators who defined the property's voice, rather than handing the revival to new showrunners.
Production team and partner studios
Behind the camera, the film is being produced by Claire Jones, with Patrick Holland of Banijay and Mark Lesbirel of Fudge Park Productions also attached as producers. Executive producers include Caroline Levy, Caroline Leddy, Phil Gilbert, Suzanne Knight, Tom Jordan and Farhana Bhula, alongside Beesley and Morris. Trade reporting cited Screen Daily indicating that Film4 is supporting the feature, giving the project a defined production structure rather than a provisional outline.
Background and path to production
Reports of a Netflix revival had circulated for months before the Sept. 7 confirmation. In April, The Sun reported that a multi-million-pound deal was being finalized to bring the comedy to the streamer, with Netflix motivated by renewed global engagement with older episodes on the platform. The formal production announcement converts those reported terms into a confirmed shoot, ending months of conditional coverage about whether the central quartet and original creators would commit. The original series followed four friends navigating school life at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive, and the new feature is positioned as a direct continuation rather than a reboot.
Unanswered questions around plot and release
Netflix has not announced a release date, logline or additional cast beyond the four leads, leaving the premise of the film undisclosed. It also remains unclear when the feature will reach the service globally, given that principal photography is only now beginning in the UK. Buckley is also separately filming a UK adaptation of Harlan Coben's The Woods for Netflix, a parallel commitment that trade outlets flagged but which sits outside the scope of the production start on The Inbetweeners 3.
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