Seth Rogen has made it clear that a reunion with James Franco is not in the cards. The longtime collaborators, who first appeared together on NBC’s Freaks and Geeks in 1999, built a years-long partnership on projects including Pineapple Express, This Is the End, The Interview and The Disaster Artist. But in a recent interview with The New York Times, Rogen said he has not spoken with Franco “in a long time” and has “no plans” to work with him again.
Rogen was careful not to go into too much detail, saying the issue is “very personal” and involves other people he does not want to bring into the discussion. He said he had already made his public position clear in previous comments and that “the proof is in the pudding,” pointing out that he has not worked with Franco in years. Rogen added that nothing has changed since he last addressed the matter and reiterated that he has no intention of collaborating with Franco in the future.
The remarks come as Franco has been attempting an onscreen comeback after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct in 2018. The accusations included claims of inappropriate behavior, and one case later led to a settlement involving allegations that he intimidated students into exploitative sexual situations. Franco has faced ongoing scrutiny in the years since the allegations surfaced.
Franco has said publicly that his friendship with Rogen appears to be over. In a 2024 interview with Variety, he said he had not spoken with Rogen, added that he still loves him, and described their 20-year working relationship as meaningful, while suggesting it had ended despite his efforts to reconnect.
In recent months, Franco has continued to try to re-establish himself in film. He hinted at Cannes last month that he is involved in a “big studio movie,” which would mark his first major studio project in nearly a decade. He also recently appeared in the Italian drama Hey Joe, directed by Claudio Giovannesi, which premiered in select theaters and on VOD in March.
For fans of the once-popular comedy duo, Rogen’s comments signal that one of Hollywood’s most familiar creative partnerships remains firmly in the past. Their long run together helped define an era of early-2000s and 2010s comedy, but Rogen’s latest remarks suggest there is little chance of seeing them back on screen together anytime soon.
