Superbad writer and star Seth Rogen reveals that Sony intervened and banned one character from even laying a finger on a PlayStation controller during the events of the 2008 movie. The coming-of-age teen comedy focuses on three social misfits as they try to get with the girls of their dreams during a high-school party, sending them on an absurd odyssey. Alongside producing and writing the feature alongside Evan Goldberg, Superbad stars Rogen as Officer Michaels, who becomes the unlikely friend of Christopher Mintz-Plᴀsse’s Fogell when he poses as the now-infamous McLovin.

As Rogen attended the SXSW premiere event for his upcoming series The Studio, the actor was asked by Rotten Tomatoes what the most notable studio notes he had received throughout his career. He stated that during the production of Superbad, Sony, who were the distributor and parent company to Columbia Pictures, found Jonah Hill’s Seth “vile,” something Rogen jokes he took somewhat personally due to the character’s origins. As such, Seth was barred from touching a Sony PlayStation. Check out Rogen’s recollection and the TikTok below:

They were like, ‘We can’t have him interact with our products as a character, because it’s too vile a character.’ And I was like, ‘It’s based on me, that’s very insulting. Sony made the movie and we were told that Jonah Hill’s character, Seth, was so reprehensible to the studio. There’s a scene where they’re playing video games and it was like, ‘Jonah can’t touch a PlayStation.’

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What Sony’s Criticisms Mean For Superbad

The Character Is Controversial But Grows From His Experience

In the Superbad world, Seth is the most controversial of the main trio of characters. Alongside his poor treatment of Evan (Michael Cera) and Fogell, and breaking the alcohol age requirement, he is also very much Sєx-driven, from a strange childhood fascination with drawing penises, to him sharing adult movies with his friends. As such, it is understandable why Seth raised the most concerns of the whole cast, and why they wouldn’t want their brands ᴀssociated with the character, even with the potential benefit that product placement could bring the corporation.

Despite these traits, however, Seth is not an inherently bad person. Though he may never fully respect Fogell as much as he does Evan, he does care for both his friends and fears losing them as they grow older. He also has a genuine interest in his crush, Jules (Emma Stone), beyond being physically attracted. As Rogen stated, Seth is rooted in his past and relatable to those who have been through similar experiences, so many viewers can relate to both his worst traits and appreciate his growth into a better, more well-rounded person.

Our Thoughts On Sony’s Superbad Fears

The Genre Has Often Tackled Troublesome Teens Learning To Be Better

Superbad, like many coming-of-age comedies, is about growth and maturing from a fearful youth into a more composed and confident adult. As such, its leading characters are created to capture the highs and lows of being a teen, from the notions of young love and cringe-worthy comedy that can be derided from it, to the good and bad of finding oneself, be it the absurd over-confidence of McLovin to the stand-offish anxiety of Seth. As such, while it may be understandable, Sony’s fears about well-trodden tropes in the genre may still surprise some viewers.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes/TikTok