Three years ago, The Inbetweeners Movie opened by stealth in August 2011, making a monster £2.58 million in its first day of release, a one-day UK record for a comedy. Without any press screenings, the TV-comedy based movie caught critics by surprise, as word about the release came only through TV ads, cast appearances and posters on the sides of busses.

The Inbetweeners 2The Inbetweeers are back!

But everyone was ready for the sequel's arrival this week. It opened on Wednesday without any press screenings, but several journalists were invited along to Tuesday night's premiere. And despite mixed reviews (four stars from The Telegraph, one star from Little White Lies, two-and-a-half from Contactmusic), the film broke its own record by taking £2.7 million on Wednesday. The only films that have made more in one midweek day are the final Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies.

More: read our review of The Inbetweeners Movie 2

While doing the rounds of publicity, the cast members said that they thought the first film would be the Inbetweeners' last hurrah. But a hilarious script by creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley lured back the now iconic foursome Will, Simon, Jay and Neil, played by actors Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison, who are now nearly 30.

Everyone has ruled out a third movie, but after this kind of box office haul, the pressure will be on to take the characters even further.

Watch the trailer for The Inbetweeners 2: