Summary
- Sony restricted Jonah Hill’s character in Superbad from using a PS2 in one scene, as per director Seth Rogen.
- The company was apparently concerned about PlayStation’s brand image being negatively affected by Hill’s “vile” Superbad character.
- Superbad’s filmmakers altered the scene by having Michael Cera’s character, Evan, instead play Getaway: Black Monday on the PS2.
Superbad director Seth Rogen has revealed a bizarre behind-the-scenes restriction about the movie that involved actor Jonah Hill and PlayStation. According to Rogan, Sony refused to let Jonah Hill’s Superbad character use a PlayStation console in the movie.
Released in 2007, Superbad is widely regarded as one of the greatest comedy films of its generation. It chronicles a hilarious and chaotic adventure that two high school friends, played by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, go through on a mission to secure alcohol for a party with their peers. Sony Pictures co-financed Superbad, with Seth Rogen taking up the role of writer and director. One Superbad scene originally featured Hill’s character, Seth, playing a game on a PS2, but Sony apparently took issue with this.
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Speaking with Rotten Tomatoes at the 2025 edition of South by Southwest (SXSW), Rogen recalled an unusual demand from Sony regarding Jonah Hill’s Superbad character interacting with a PlayStation console. According to the director, Sony found Hill’s character, Seth, so “reprehensible” that the company instructed Superbad‘s creators to not let the actor “touch a PlayStation” in one specific scene where he and Cera were playing a video game. The decision was mainly borne out of a concern that Seth’s vulgar and troublemaking nature could negatively impact PlayStation’s brand image.
Sony Thought Jonah Hill’s Character in Superbad Was Too “Vile” to Use a PS2
Rogen, who based the character of Seth on himself, jokingly admitted he found Sony’s mandate personally insulting at the time. Still, he and the rest of Superbad‘s creators ultimately complied, and the scene was reworked. Instead of Hill’s character smashing buttons on a PlayStation controller, Michael Cera’s character, Evan, is shown playing The Getaway: Black Monday on a PS2. Interestingly, this scene had an amusing error that may not be apparent to a lot of PlayStation fans. During the scene, Evan mentions using an M16 assault rifle in the game, but The Getaway: Black Monday doesn’t actually include the weapon.
While some may think that Sony’s concerns teetered on the edge of corporate control, it ultimately didn’t matter much as Superbad still went on to become a beloved classic. The film’s cast, notably Hill, Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Emma Stone, were all essential to its crude yet heartfelt humor, which ended up defining an era of teen comedies and remains relevant for many even today. This anecdote was shared by Rogen as part of a promotion he was running at SXSW 2025 for his upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio, which will air on March 26.
Sony
- Date Founded
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May 7, 1946
- Headquarters
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Minato City, Tokyo, Japan