'The Inbetweeners Movie' Creator Blames Problems Of Translation For US Film Flop - Is He Right?

Inbetweeners Flop Stateside, Creator Blames Language Barrier

The Inbetweeners may have come, seen and conquered all before it at the domestic box office last year, when it enjoyed the biggest opening weekend of any comedy film in the UK, and went on to make a staggering £45 million.

The Inbetweeners conquered the UK box office, but have more trouble stealing viewers' hearts stateside

However, it's been a different story in the States where it has, so far, taken only a meagre $36,000 at 10 screens.

Hopes were high for the US reception for the film telling the adventures of four hormonal boy-men taking a coming-of-age trip to Crete in the first heady weeks after leaving school. The four stars - Joe Thomas, Simon Bird, James Buckley and Blake Harris - even embarked on a coach trip across the States to pull in more audiences, but all to no avail, and, according to the Daily Mail, plans to widen the scope of cinemas taking the film have been aborted. Read more here...

The series co-creator Iain Morris blames that old chestnut, the language barrier, saying he's married to an American lady, who "thinks she understands about 60% of what I say".

The Inbetweeners Movie takes the boys to Crete for a coming-of-age tale

He also reported that studio bosses who first jumped at the chance to distribute the UK hit later decided they weren't sure whether American audiences would get it, so opted for a cinema release on a much smaller scale - "'But at the same time it's not really an art house release. We're caught between two stools."

Morris needn't worry too much about the impact on his wallet. He and co-writer Damon Beesley have got a Gervais-esque type slice of the US version of the TV series, which recently launched in the States - to mixed reviews. The first series aped all the story arcs - virtually gag for gag - as the successful UK original, but promises to branch off on its own, come the second series.

And there's even talk of a US version of The Inbetweeners Movie being made - wouldn't that just be American Pie?

The Inbetweeners isn't the first UK show to find a hard landing on US soil. Here are some others with mixed fortunes - does it ever really work?

"The Office"

UK TV Remakes The US Got Right

What's your favourite US adaptation of a UK show? Weigh in below!

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