“Impractical Jokers” fans, get ready for a feature-length film based on the franchise, which is also getting an eighth season, truTV said Wednesday.
The franchise’s first feature-length film will be directed by Chris Henchy and produced by Funny or Die.
The hidden-camera comedy follows four lifelong friends known as The Tenderloins — James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn, Joe Gatto and Sal Vulcano — as they carry out outrageous dares. The movie will focus on an embarrassing moment from 1992 that sends the four friends on the road competing in hidden camera challenges for the chance to redeem themselves.
“The Jokers’ authentic friendship and genuine relatability has endeared them to millions of fans around the world, creating one of the most original brands in all of television,” said truTV president Chris Linn. “We’re incredibly proud of the partnership we’ve developed with the guys throughout the years, and the growing, multi-platform success of the ‘Impractical Jokers’ brand.”
The Tenderloins said that the opportunity to make a movie out of their TV show is “absolutely mind-blowing.”
“We love working with Chris Linn, Marissa Ronca, Simmy Kustanowitz and the entire truTV family and we look forward to expanding and growing our partnership until they realize, truly realize, what they’ve gotten themselves into,” they continued. “None of this is possible without our amazing, talented and overly-dedicated TV crew, our crack team of reps and, most importantly, our dedicated fans. And now to work with Chris Henchy and the Funny Or Die team, we feel like we’re making the movie with a similar brand of good people.”
The movie will begin production this spring. Gatto, Murray, Quinn, Vulcano, Henchy and Funny Or Die’s Jim Ziegler produce with executive producers Marissa Ronca on behalf of truTV, Jack Rovner and Funny Or Die’s Mike Farah and Joe Farrell.
“Impractical Jokers” has also received a 26-episode eighth season, which will keep new episodes on the network through 2019.