Broken Lizard's Quasi - What We Know So Far

There are plenty of movies that will blow people away in 2023, and one particular title that may not be on everyone's radar is yet another hilarious motion picture from the folks at Broken Lizard. The gut-busting bunch will bring their signature style of side-splitting comedy to the film "Quasi," a wickedly funny take on a familiar tale.

The comedy troupe Broken Lizard has been known to make audiences laugh from time to time with several of their amusing flicks. While the group has put out several notable titles like "Puddle Cruiser" and "The Slammin Salmon," they are mostly known for their bigger hits, like "Club Dread," "Beerfest," and the "Super Troopers" films. 

Now, the group is looking to change things up, and after having done several projects taking place in the present, the gifted comedians will take their talents to the past. "Quasi" is set to be the next movie that releases under the Broken Lizard banner and will be the first movie the group has taken on since 2018's "Super Troopers 2." Like most of their motion pictures, there will be a solid narrative, cast, and director bringing the project to life. Fortunately, fans attempting to figure out everything there is to know about the film, including the release date, don't need to go far to find out more about "Quasi."

Fans eager to see the next comedic chapter of Broken Lizard's laugh-out-loud legacy will be thrilled to know that when it comes to the movie's release window, they won't have to wait centuries for the film to arrive. In fact, the project has been in development for some time and began production in November 2021. A year later, it was announced the film would premiere April 20, 2023, which is less than a month away. 

Anybody interested in checking out the uproarious feature won't even have to leave their homes to do so. The film will skip a theatrical release. Instead, it will go straight to streaming. When it debuts, fans will be able to watch the movie in its entirety on the streamer Hulu, allowing them to laugh hysterically as loud as they please at the inevitable hijinks set to occur.

As far as the plot goes, "Quasi" has been labeled as a satirical take on the classic tale of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." The original story was written by Victor Hugo and first published in 1833. Since then, there have been several adaptations of Hugo's novel, including silent films, animated endeavors, and stage productions. Now almost two centuries later, it's Broken Lizard's turn to take the story and lean it hard into the comedy genre.

When the announcement was made regarding the release date, details on the narrative were also revealed. The story takes place in medieval France and centers around a man with a hunchback named Quasi, who isn't very popular with the townsfolk. Whether he is being mocked relentlessly or having produce thrown at him in the streets, the guy doesn't have it easy. 

It seems his luck is about to change when he meets a woman he falls head over heels for. That is until the King of France and the Pope get involved. Two of the most powerful individuals at the time put poor Quasi in a less-than-ideal situation as they both task him with killing the other. The only thing better than the movie's hilarious story of love, murder, and medieval mayhem is the people making up the stellar cast.

All the members of Broken Lizard, which includes Jay Chandrasekhar, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, Kevin Heffernan, and Erik Stolhanske, are a part of the main cast of "Quasi." Lemme will be playing the titular character in the film, and the rest of the team will play more than one persona throughout the feature. 

While it's no secret that they have all starred in movies like "Super Troopers," "Club Dread," and "Beerfest," most members of the comedic crew have been a part of several other worthwhile endeavors, such as shows like "Tacoma FD" and movies like "The Babymakers." They each have many credits to boast about, but all of the titles on their greatest hits list consist of Broken Lizard affairs, and it's no secret these talented jokesters are hoping "Qausi" is able to find success.

It isn't just the Broken Lizard boys getting in on the medieval action. Also starring in the movie is Adrianne Palicki. The actor has been in the industry for some time, and some of her more noteworthy credits include "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," "John Wick," and "Friday Night Lights." She is most certainly a solid addition to Broken Lizard, and luckily for them, they have someone that knows how these movies work sitting in the director's chair.

In true Broken Lizard fashion, one of the group's own members will not just be a part of the cast. He also will serve as the director for "Quasi." While Jay Chandrasekhar has directed most of the team's flicks like "Super Troopers," "Super Troopers 2," "Beerfest," and "Club Dread," he will not be helming the medieval comedy. 

Instead, Kevin Heffernan has been tasked as the director to lead the feature. Despite the fact that directing isn't his main gig, "Quasi" is far from Heffernan's first foray into the realm of directing. He previously directed the 2019 Broken Lizard movie "The Slammin Salmon," and he has also sat in the director's chair for over a dozen episodes of the comedy series "Tacoma FD." Each time he also starred in the project, meaning he has had his fair share of practice up to this point, and from the looks of the film's trailer, it's paid off.

The trailer for "Quasi" wastes no time in re-introducing audiences to the Broken Lizard brand of humor. After witnessing the king's fondness of killer comedy with his knights, the preview debuts its main protagonist showcasing his dreadful commute to work at a torture chamber. 

It is also revealed that people in the town, even those being put through grueling torture, are excited for Pope Week, an event which has the holy leader making a visit, with one lucky individual getting a chance to meet the Pope thanks to a lottery. Quasi is shown to be the unsuspecting winner in the teaser, which does not please the Pope at all. The promo also doesn't shy away from taking a look at the romance brewing between Steve Lemme's character and Adrianne Palicki's character.

Of all the things that went down in the promo, probably the most notable of all was when viewers got a glimpse at the multiple characters the members of Broken Lizard will play in the film. Despite the video being brief in length, it's pretty clear there is no shortage of side-splitting medieval comedy being displayed throughout the trailer, and after learning everything there is to know about the movie, anyone looking for some period piece fun shouldn't sleep on "Quasi."

While fans are patiently waiting for Quasi to come out on Hulu, there are plenty of other Broken Lizard films to enjoy until then. Their crown jewel of comedic cinema, which some consider to be one of the funniest movies of all time, is ”Super Troopers," which features Brian Cox and follows the shenanigans of a whacky highway patrol unit. In addition, the 2019 film "The Slammin' Salmon" follows a wild night for the wait staff at a boxer-owned restaurant featuring Michael Clarke Duncan in the cast. These Broken Lizard favorites are available for subscribers to stream on Starz.

Other worthwhile features from the comedy troupe include "Club Dread," an island-based slasher comedy about workers at a tropical resort trying to survive the wrath of a mysterious killer. Bill Paxton and Brittany Daniels are two big names attached to the Broken Lizard heavy hitter. Then there is  "Beerfest," which saw the group compete in a secret international drinking competition. These two gems are ready to stream on HBO Max.

Rounding out the comical crew's cinematic catalog is "Super Troopers 2," which, along with the rest of the Broken Lizard films, can be found on VOD platforms such as Redbox, Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Vudu, and Google Play.