Honestly, it’s kinda weird to look back at 2016. It was that specific window of time where Seth Rogen was the king of the R-rated comedy, and Zac Efron was desperately trying to convince the world he wasn't just "the High School Musical guy." It worked. Sorta.
When Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising hit theaters, most people expected a lazy, beat-for-beat retread of the first movie. You know the drill—sequels usually just ramp up the explosions or the gross-out gags until the soul of the original is basically gone. But that’s not really what happened here. Instead, we got a movie where Zac Efron plays a character who is essentially a tragic figure wrapped in a six-pack.
Teddy Sanders is the keyword here. He’s the heart of the movie, even if he spends half of it being rubbed down with meat grease.
The Evolution of Teddy Sanders (and Zac's Abs)
In the first film, Teddy was the villain. He was the alpha-male frat president who made Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly’s (Rose Byrne) lives a living hell. But in Neighbors 2, Efron plays him as a lost soul. He’s graduated, his friends have moved on to "real" jobs, and he’s stuck working at Abercrombie & Fitch as a shirtless greeter.
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It’s meta. It’s self-deprecating. It's actually a bit sad.
Efron’s performance is what anchors the film’s weirdly progressive heart. While the plot involves a new sorority—Kappa Nu, led by Chloë Grace Moretz—fighting for the right to party just as hard as the boys, Teddy is the bridge between the old guard and the new. He starts as their mentor, but he eventually realizes he's being used for his "old man" wisdom (which is basically just knowing how to throw a rager).
How He Actually Got That Look
Let’s be real: half the reason people searched for Neighbors 2 Zac Efron was to figure out his workout routine. He was lean. Like, "sculpted out of marble" lean.
According to various fitness deep-dives from trainers who analyzed his look, Zac wasn't going for the massive bulk he eventually sported in The Iron Claw or even the hyper-shredded Baywatch physique. In Neighbors 2, he was sitting at roughly 8-9% body fat. He stayed around 160 pounds, which is pretty light for a guy who looks that muscular on screen.
He used a 3-day lifting split. It wasn't about being a bodybuilder; it was about the "Hollywood look"—wide shoulders, a tight waist, and abs that look like they could grate cheese. He focused on:
- Reverse Pyramid Training: Starting with the heaviest weight and dropping down.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Lots of jump rope and sprints to keep the fat off.
- A Massive Calorie Deficit: At least for the final weeks of filming.
He basically lived on lean proteins and green tea. Sounds miserable? Probably. But it sold tickets.
Why the Sequel Actually Matters Now
If you watch Neighbors 2 today, it feels surprisingly "woke" for a movie that features a scene with a flying airbag. The whole premise is built on a real-life rule: in the United States, most sororities are legally barred from throwing parties with alcohol. That’s a real thing.
The movie uses the Zac Efron character to highlight how the "old way" of doing things—the sexist, frat-dominated party culture—was crumbling. Teddy’s arc is about him realizing that he doesn't have to be the "hot guy" forever. He finds a new purpose, and honestly, the chemistry between him and Seth Rogen is better than most romantic comedies.
They aren't enemies this time. They're "bros."
The Box Office Reality
While critics actually liked it—many said it was smarter than the first one—it didn't quite explode at the box office like the original. The first Neighbors made over $270 million worldwide. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising pulled in about $108 million.
That’s a big drop.
Maybe the "sequel effect" hit it hard, or maybe people just weren't ready for a stoner comedy that also wanted to talk about gender politics. Regardless, it remains a pivotal moment in Zac Efron's career. It was the last time we saw him in this specific "frat boy" mold before he started taking on much darker roles, like Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re looking to revisit this era of Efron’s career, don't just stop at the highlights.
- Watch the "Meat Grease" scene again. It’s a masterclass in physical comedy that most people overlook because they're distracted by the visuals.
- Compare his Neighbors 2 physique to Baywatch. You'll see the exact moment where the fitness obsession went from "healthy actor" to "extreme athlete," which Efron has since spoken about as being incredibly taxing on his mental health.
- Check out the "Down to Earth" series. If you want to see the "real" Zac that emerged after he moved away from these types of roles, his Netflix travel show is the perfect palate cleanser.
The "frat king" is dead, but the movies are still pretty damn funny.