Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes After 20 Years

With the 20th anniversary of the beloved stoner comedy on the horizon, a batch of retrospective interviews have pushed it up over the 75% threshold.

By Russ Burlingame

Nearly 20 years after the film's initial release, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle has earned a "Certified Fresh" rating from Rotten Tomatoes. The film, which stars John Cho and Kal Penn in the title roles, centers on a pair of stoners who make a late-night pilgrimmage to the titular fast food joint, dodging dozens of over-the-top obstacles including amorous rednecks, wild cats, and Neil Patrick Harris. The movie, which was made for under $10 million, did so well at the box office and on home video that it spawned two sequels: 2008's Harold & Kumar Go to Guantanamo Bay and 2011's A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.

Certified Fresh movies are those that meet a minimum threshold of "Tomatometer"-accredited critics, and which have at least 75% positive reviews. With a bunch of 20th anniversary retrospectives coming out this year, the 2004 hit has passed the latter mark, and currently sits at 75% positive with 150 reviews.

Penn recently spoke to ComicBook.com ahead of his new film, The Underdoggs, and he offered an update on the long-rumored Harold & Kumar 4. 

"No, [Jon] Hurwitz posted something on his Instagram that everybody took to mean it's like in the process or something," Penn told us. "I think it was a selfie we took at dinner. Nothing has changed, just to be clear. We would all love to do one. I'm sure we'll do one at some point. I think the guys were busy with Cobra Kai and I think they have two or three other shows and movies. I was working on Designated Survivor for a few years and then a couple of other projects. So I think we were just hoping that the timeline aligns and that we find the right concept. That's how I put it artistically. We all really want to make it happen but I don't have any updates for you yet."

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Harold & Kumar writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who executive produce both Cobra Kai and Obliterated alongside creative partner Josh Heald, said that they feel like a fourth movie is inevitable.

In Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, "nerdy accountant Harold (John Cho) and his irrepressible friend, Kumar (Kal Penn), get stoned watching television and find themselves utterly bewitched by a commercial for White Castle. Convinced there must be one nearby, the two set out on a late-night odyssey that takes them deep into New Jersey. Somehow, the boys manage to run afoul of rednecks, cops and even a car-stealing Neil Patrick Harris before getting anywhere near their beloved sliders."

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