Neighbors
A 2014 American comedy film about a young family whose conflict with a neighboring fraternity escalates into an all-out neighborhood war.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Neighbors is a 2014 American comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien. Released in some markets under the title Bad Neighbours, it centers on Mac and Kelly Radner, a married couple adjusting to life with their infant daughter, Stella. Their attempt to settle into a quieter suburban adulthood is disrupted when the Delta Psi Beta fraternity moves into the house next door. What begins as a request to control the noise develops into a prolonged contest of pranks, retaliation, deception, and social pressure. The film stars Seth Rogen as Mac, Rose Byrne as Kelly, and Zac Efron as fraternity president Teddy Sanders. Dave Franco plays Teddy's close associate Pete Regazolli, while Christopher Mintz-Plasse appears as Scoonie. Supporting and cameo roles include a number of performers associated with contemporary American comedy, including Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Adam DeVine, Blake Anderson, Anders Holm, Kyle Newacheck, Jake Johnson, and others. The story contrasts two groups experiencing different forms of transition: Mac and Kelly are confronting the restrictions and responsibilities of parenthood, while Teddy is approaching graduation and fears losing the identity and status he has built within the fraternity. The production originated with Cohen and O'Brien's concerns about adulthood and initially focused more directly on a conflict between a man and fraternity students. Nicholas Stoller helped reshape the screenplay so that Kelly became an active participant rather than a peripheral spouse. This change made the central conflict a partnership between Mac and Kelly and gave the film a broader comic perspective on marriage, parenthood, friendship, and arrested adolescence. Rogen and Efron were attached before the project was formally presented to studios. Universal Pictures secured the project after competing interest from Universal and New Line Cinema, and filming took place in Los Angeles over 38 days in 2013. Neighbors premiered in a work-in-progress form at South by Southwest on March 8, 2014, and Universal released it in the United States on May 9, 2014. It was marketed internationally as Bad Neighbours in order to distinguish it from the similarly titled Australian soap opera Neighbours. The film was made on an $18 million budget and earned approximately $270.7 million worldwide, making it a substantial commercial success. It also became Seth Rogen's highest-grossing live-action film at the time of its release. Reviews were generally favorable, with particular attention given to Zac Efron's comic performance and to Rose Byrne's expanded role as Mac's equal partner in the conflict. The film's success established a sequel, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, which returned Stoller, Rogen, Byrne, Efron, and several other principal performers. The sequel was released on May 20, 2016. The original film also received home-media distribution on DVD and Blu-ray and a digital soundtrack release. As a screen property, Neighbors is associated with Universal's mid-budget, R-rated comedy cycle of the 2010s and is defined by its ensemble cast, improvisational production process, adult-oriented humor, and rivalry-based suburban setting.
History
Neighbors developed from the collaboration of screenwriters Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien, who drew on anxieties about adulthood and the loss of youthful freedom. Seth Rogen and Zac Efron became attached before the project was pitched to studios. Universal Pictures ultimately obtained the rights in July 2011 after competing interest from New Line Cinema. The screenplay was written soon afterward, initially using a more conventional premise about Rogen's character fighting with fraternity students. Nicholas Stoller entered negotiations to direct in May 2012. During development, he and the writers altered the structure so that the story would focus on Mac and his wife Kelly confronting the fraternity together. The change increased Kelly's importance and made the conflict a two-sided partnership rather than a male-centered rivalry. Rose Byrne's character consequently became an active strategist and participant in the escalating feud. The production also used rehearsals and improvisation, with the cast and crew spending approximately two weeks preparing scenes before principal photography. Filming began in April 2013 and concluded in late May after 38 days of production in Los Angeles. The houses representing the Radner home and the fraternity residence were located in the West Adams district. Cameras and iPhones were distributed among extras, party guests, and cast members to create additional first-person footage and a more chaotic party atmosphere. The film was originally called Townies, but the title was changed to Neighbors on August 26, 2013. In territories outside the United States it was generally released as Bad Neighbours, partly to avoid confusion with the Australian soap opera Neighbours. A work-in-progress cut screened at South by Southwest on March 8, 2014. Universal released the completed film in the United States on May 9, 2014. Its story follows Mac and Kelly Radner as they struggle to reconcile the responsibilities of caring for their infant daughter with memories of their former social life. When Delta Psi Beta moves next door, the couple first attempts negotiation, but repeated parties and retaliatory pranks turn the relationship into a neighborhood war. The fraternity's own disciplinary problems, including earlier destruction of its former house and a later incident involving a professor, create an institutional framework for the conflict. The film performed strongly at the box office. It earned approximately $150.2 million in North America and $120.5 million in other territories, for a reported worldwide total of $270.7 million, against an $18 million production budget. Its North American opening weekend was approximately $49 million, placing it first in the market. The success made it Seth Rogen's highest-grossing live-action film at that point. Critical reception was generally positive: reviewers highlighted the chemistry among Rogen, Byrne, and Efron, with Efron's performance often described as an important break from his earlier Disney-associated image. Rotten Tomatoes reported a 72 percent approval rating based on 221 reviews, while Metacritic reported a score of 68 from 45 critics. The film received DVD and Blu-ray distribution on September 23, 2014, and its soundtrack was issued digitally in the United States on April 29 and in the United Kingdom on May 12. A sequel, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, was announced in February 2015. Stoller returned to direct, Cohen and O'Brien returned as writers, and Rogen, Byrne, Efron, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz, and Carla Gallo were among those returning. The sequel introduced a sorority as the new neighboring force and was released on May 20, 2016.
- 2016
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising released
[1]The sequel reached theaters on May 20.
- 2015
Sequel announced
[1]The follow-up was announced under the working title Sorority Rising.
- 2014
South by Southwest premiere
[1]A work-in-progress cut screened at the festival on March 8.
- 2014
United States theatrical release
[1]Universal released Neighbors theatrically in the United States on May 9.
- 2014
Home-media release
[1]DVD and Blu-ray editions were released on September 23.
- 2013
Principal photography
[1]The 38-day shoot took place in Los Angeles, including locations in the West Adams district.
- 2013
Title changes from Townies to Neighbors
[1]The production adopted the title Neighbors before using Bad Neighbours in many international markets.
- 2012
Nicholas Stoller joins as director
[1]Stoller became attached to direct and helped reshape the script around Mac and Kelly's joint conflict with the fraternity.
- 2011
Universal secures the project
[1]Universal Pictures obtained the rights to the then-untitled comedy after competing studio interest.
Products and positioning
An R-rated ensemble comedy combining suburban domestic conflict, fraternity-party satire, bawdy humor, and a story about the transition into adulthood and parenthood.
Feature film · 2014
Neighbors
The original R-rated comedy follows Mac and Kelly Radner, new parents whose effort to maintain a stable suburban life is disrupted by Delta Psi Beta's move next door. Their failed attempts at negotiation develop into increasingly elaborate retaliation, combining domestic comedy, fraternity satire, and an examination of the characters' transition from youthful social life to adulthood.
Sequel feature film · 2016
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
The sequel revisits Mac and Kelly and brings Teddy back into the conflict when a sorority moves into the former fraternity house. It retains the series' ensemble comedy format while changing the opposing group and extending the story's focus on gender, campus culture, and the characters' attempts to manage adult responsibilities.
Film soundtrack · 2014
Neighbors soundtrack
The soundtrack associated with the film was released as a digital download in the United States and United Kingdom during 2014.
Brand decisions
2015
Sequel developmentProduct launchBackground
The original film's commercial performance supported continuation of the property.
Action taken
A sequel titled Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising was announced, with Nicholas Stoller returning to direct.
Aftermath
The sequel entered production and was released in 2016 with much of the original cast returning.
2014
Theatrical launchProduct launchBackground
After its South by Southwest premiere, the completed comedy was prepared for a broad commercial release.
Action taken
Universal Pictures released the film in United States theaters on May 9.
Aftermath
The film opened first at the North American box office and became a major commercial success.
Worldwide theatrical gross. $270.7 million (2014 theatrical release)
2013
International title changed to Bad NeighboursStrategyBackground
The title Neighbors could be confused with the well-known Australian soap opera of the same name in English-speaking markets.
Action taken
The film was distributed outside the United States under the title Bad Neighbours.
Aftermath
The alternate title distinguished the film in international release while the United States retained Neighbors.
Recent events
- 2016
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising released[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The sequel expanded the premise by having Mac, Kelly, and Teddy confront a sorority occupying the former fraternity house.
- 2015
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising announced[1]
Product launch
A sequel was announced with Stoller returning as director and major cast members reprising their roles.
- 2014
Neighbors premieres at South by Southwest[1]
Product launch
A work-in-progress version premiered at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, on March 8.
- 2014
Neighbors opens in the United States[1]
Product launch
Universal Pictures released the film theatrically in the United States on May 9.
- 2013
Townies retitled Neighbors[1]
Other
The production changed its original title from Townies to Neighbors before release.
- 2012
Nicholas Stoller enters negotiations to direct[1]
Leadership change
Stoller became attached to direct the comedy and subsequently helped shift the story toward the conflict between a married couple and the fraternity next door.
- 2011
Universal acquires the then-untitled comedy project[1]
Other
Universal Pictures secured the project after competing studio interest, with Seth Rogen and Zac Efron already attached.
Sources7 sources
- 1Neighbors (2014 film)en.wikipedia.org
- 2Neighbors at IMDbimdb.com
- 3Neighbors at Box Office Mojoboxofficemojo.com
- 4Neighbors at Rotten Tomatoesrottentomatoes.com
- 5Neighbors at Metacriticmetacritic.com
- 6Amazon's Ring partners with National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to put missing posters in Neighbors app | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
- 7Cranberry Partners With Ring On Neighborhood Safety Apppatch.com
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