It doesn’t sound like much of a hard ask, but in the world of entertainment, where we’re spoilt for choice with brilliant TV shows, films and documentaries, finding joyous LGBTQ+ stories can sometimes feel like mission impossible. There’s a long-standing trope, you see, of consigning queer characters to a terrible fate before they can get their shot at love and happiness. But that isn’t the case with the raucous new high school comedy Bottoms.

Shiva Baby’s Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott have reunited for the new hit comedy, which follows two unpopular queer girls in their senior year of high school who start a fight club to try to impress and hook up with cheerleaders. And with Bottoms’ tagline – a movie about empowering women (the hot ones) – we know we’re in for quite a ride.

Released in US cinemas on 25 August, it’s already been reviewed as one of the best comedies of the year, building up excitement for fans who are calling for the film to be released worldwide.

Speaking about the film, director Seligman told Polyester: “I love raunchy teen comedies. A lot of them haven’t aged well, but teenagers are literally just that hormonal and horny and selfish.”

She went on to say “It’s the best making stuff with your friends. Rachel is the best and getting to work with Ayo [Edebiri], who we’d always envisioned for the role, was so much fun. It’s great to watch the two of them play off of each other; they’re such great improvisers. It’s hard to keep it together behind the camera.”

What is the plot of Bottoms?

The film follows unpopular best friends PJ (Sennott) and Josie (Edebiri), who start a high school fight club to meet the hot girls in their school – the cheerleaders – and lose their virginity before graduation. However, the pair soon find themselves in way over their heads when the popular kids turn against each other and start beating each other up in the name of self-defence.

Who stars in Bottoms?

Alongside Rachel Sennott, the new movie stars comedian Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Marshawn Lynch (Murderville) and supermodel-turned-actor Kaia Gerber (American Horror Story).

Actors Ruby Cruz (Castle Rock), Havana Rose Liu (No Exit), Nicholas Galitzine (Cinderella), Miles Fowler (Winning Time), Dagmara Dominczyk (Succession) and Punkie Johnson (Love Life) round out the cast.

The film is produced by Pitch Perfect’s Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman and Alison Small through Brownstone Productions. The film’s soundtrack is co-composed by Charli XCX and Leo Birenberg.

When will Bottoms be released in the UK?

Bottoms has been picked up by studio Warner Bros and will now officially have a theatrical run in the UK and Ireland. The film will hit cinemas on 3 November. But as we wait patiently for it to drop, make sure to watch the trailer below.

Images: MGM; Getty