A 2008 stoner comedy featuring Seth Rogen and James Franco will soon exit Netflix. The R-rated film centers on a process server and a marijuana dealer as they go on a run from a drug lord after witnessing a murder.
Pineapple Express is leaving Netflix next month
Pineapple Express will be delisted from Netflix on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
The story follows Dale Denton, a process server, who accidentally witnesses a murder by a drug lord and a corrupt cop. While fleeing, he drops a rare marijuana roach named Pineapple Express that leads to his dealer, Saul Silver. The two are then forced to run from the drug lord, leading to a bizarre and hilarious series of events.
David Gordon Green directed the film with a script by Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg. In a 2008 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Apatow said that he got the idea for Pineapple Express from Brad Pitt’s stoner character in True Romance.
The film stars Seth Rogen as Dale, James Franco as Saul, Danny McBride as Red, Gary Cole as Ted, Rosie Perez as Carol, and Ken Jeong as Ken, among others. Rogen reportedly wanted to play Saul. But upon Apatow’s suggestion, they had Franco read the lines at the table read. Seemingly very impressed by Franco’s performance, Rogen eventually agreed to portray Dale (via IGN).
Pineapple Express premiered at the 2008 Just for Laughs Film Festival on July 19. It was later released worldwide on August 8, 2008. The film was both a critical and commercial success. Made on a reported budget of $27 million, the film earned roughly $101 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). Additionally, it has a respectable 68% Tomatometer score and 73% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Following the film’s success, all three writers were reportedly on board for a sequel. But due to budget disagreement, the sequel never materialized, per Variety. However, the production studio, Sony Pictures Entertainment, released a trailer for Pineapple Express 2 in 2013, which turned out to be an April Fool’s joke.
Originally reported by Harsha Panduranga on ComingSoon.
