Over the last few years writer/director/producer Judd Apatow has had the Midas Touch in the film industry, responsible for hits including Superbad, 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

His latest film, Pineapple Express, starring Seth Rogan and James Franco, hits theaters on Wednesday August 6th, is a surefire stoner classic.

Apatow and crew have been banging out successful movies at a rate of two per year. So how did he come up with the idea for Pineapple Express?

“I was watching “True Romance” back in the late 90’s on laserdisk, and I thought, Brad Pitt is so funny as this pothead character but there’s only one scene. I kind of wish there was a whole movie about that guy. And then I started thinking they never have stoner movies with great Jerry Bruckheimer level action–wouldn’t it be funny if you were chasing guys who were so high that it makes it hard for them to get away? So we spent a few months, had a meeting every once in a while, kickin’ around that like and then before you knew it, we have “Pineapple Express.”

Check out the rest of Metromix interview with Judd Apatow