The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the oldest and most loved stories that has been turned into a movie. Victor Hugo’s groundbreaking novel was not only groundbreaking for its time because it was basically a piece against the Catholic Church, but it is also a brilliant, beautiful, and tragic story about persecution and bigotry. Since the story is older than the art of making movies, it’s not surprising that the earliest movies based on it come from the silent film era. The first one on record is the short film Esmeralda, which came out in 1905.
Since then, the classic story of the Bell Ringer of Notre Dame has been told in many different ways on film. Many people think that the 1923 Universal movie is one of the earliest examples of the studio’s famous monster movies. In 1939, during Hollywood’s “Golden Year,” the story was also made into a movie. Charles Laughton gave a great performance as Quasimodo in that movie, which was nominated for an Oscar. Even Disney tried to tell the story. They turned Quasimodo’s story into an animated movie that isn’t quite as mean-spirited but is still a lot darker than the average Disney movie. In the last few years, Disney’s version has become a fan favourite, and the company has also said that Josh Gad will star in a live-action remake of the movie.
But Fox Searchlight, which is also owned by Disney, is working on its own, very different version of the Quasimodo character. The people who made the Super Troopers movies and Tacoma FD also made this new historical comedy called Quasi. People who usually live in Vermont’s worst places go back in time to the Middle Ages, where a hunchback named Quasi (Steve Lemme) hopes to find acceptance and love in a crude, fourth-wall-breaking world. Here is everything we know so far about Quasi, including the movie’s cast, caravan, release date, and more.
Watch the Trailer for Quasi
The main trailer for Quasi, which came out on March 21, makes it clear that the only part of the Victor Hugo story that will be in the movie is Quasimodo. Everything else is set in a different time period and has a very different tone and cast of characters. The caravan shows us right away that this is a mediaeval movie that doesn’t take itself seriously at all. The king (Jay Chandrasekhar) and his assistant (Kevin Heffernan) tell their guards to kill each other like death is no big deal. We don’t have to wait long to meet Quasi, who still has his trademark hunchback and is still teased by his community because of how he looks. When Quasi wins a lottery to have a private confession with the Pope (Paul Soter), which he and his friends think could change his life for good, all of that could change. When you add in the fact that Quasi is in love with a member of the royal family (Adrianne Palicki), it looks like Quasi is in for a very busy time.
Is Quasi Releasing in Theaters or on Streaming?
Both of the previous Super Troopers movies were shown in theatres. However, Quasi will only be available to watch on Hulu. This isn’t a surprise because Hulu has become the place where Disney and 20th Century Studios release more mature content that wouldn’t fit on Disney+ (even though the Deadpool movies and Logan are on Disney+). At this time, there are no plans for Quasi to be shown in theatres.
What Is the Release Date of Quasi?
When Quasi comes out on Hulu on Thursday, April 20, 2023, this unique and raunchy take on Quasimodo is sure to make everyone laugh out loud.
What is the Plot of Quasi?
Follow a poor hunchback who wants to find love but gets caught in the middle of a bloody fight between the Pope and the king of France when each of them orders the hunchback to kill the other.
Again, this is not a typical Hunchback of Notre Dame story. Instead, it is a satire about betrayal and murder in which Quasimodo plays a role. Still, it’s funny that religion and themes of a corrupt monarchy are still front and centre.
Who Is Making Quasi?
Quasi comes from the team at Broken Lizard, the comedy group whose hysterical mission statement reads as follows:
Broken Lizard is a comedy film group made up of five people who love intense sunshine, deep tissue massages in Florida, and the advanced study of keeping it real. During our travels, we made Super Troopers, Beerfest, Club Dread, The Slammin’ Salmon and Puddle Cruiser.
Some people may already know that the group is made up of Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske, and that all five of them wrote the screenplay for Quasi. Kevin Heffernan will not only star in and write the movie, but he will also direct it. This will be his first feature film since The Slammin’ Salmon that he has directed.
Also attached to the film’s crew are composer Jason Akana (Tacoma FD), cinematographer Joe Collins (Easter Sunday), and editor Frank McGrath (The Tick), making this crew an all-star lineup for a comedic romp.
Who Is Starring in Quasi?
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the famous people who worked on Broken Lizard will also be in the movie they wrote. In the mediaeval comedy Quasi, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske will each play at least two different roles. Adrianne Palicki, who is known for her role in the John Wick movies, will also be in the movie. She will play a noblewoman who falls in love with Quasi. Gabriel Hogan (Heartland), Roman Mitichyan (The Morning Show), and Michael Yurchak round out the cast (Club Dread).
