Sony Pictures appears to be moving forward with “24 Jump Street” and is reportedly in talks with Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and Ice Cube to reprise their roles.
While some fans are excited concerning the long-awaited return of the crime-comedy franchise, others remain skeptical, especially after reports that production hurdles ultimately derailed plans for “23 Jump Street.”
Tatum previously addressed the difficulty, revealing that although the script was “sincerely the very best script” he had ever read, the project’s financial structure made it nearly unattainable to maneuver forward.
In keeping with Variety, Sony Pictures is developing “24 Jump Street,” a sequel to 2012’s “21 Jump Street” and 2014’s “22 Jump Street.” Reports suggest that the unique stars, Hill, Tatum, and Ice Cube, are in talks to return, while Rodney Rothman is about to direct.
Rothman also co-wrote the script alongside Hill and Meghan Malloy. Producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller are expected to return to the R-rated crime-comedy franchise, alongside Neal H. Moritz, who can also be known for the “Fast & Furious” movies.
Tatum and Reid Carolin are producing through Free Association, while Hill and Matt Dines are producing under their Strong Baby banner. Although plot details remain under wraps, Ice Cube is anticipated to reprise his role because the perpetually furious Captain Dickson.
Production timelines and a release date are expected to be announced later this yr once talent deals are finalized.
Sony Appears To Skip Over ’23 Jump Street’
The “Jump Street” franchise, adapted from the late-Eighties television series starring Johnny Depp, stays considered one of Sony’s most successful comedy properties. It follows underachieving cops Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) as they go undercover to dismantle criminal operations.
The unique film grossed greater than $200 million worldwide, while “22 Jump Street” exceeded expectations with a powerful $331 million global haul.
A 3rd installment, originally envisioned as a crossover with Sony’s blockbuster “Men in Black” franchise, has spent greater than a decade in development. Nonetheless, persistent production issues have stalled the project, and with “24 Jump Street” now moving forward, Sony appears to have bypassed “23 Jump Street” altogether.
Channing Tatum Blamed Producer Costs For Delay
Last yr, Tatum offered insight into why “23 Jump Street” never materialized, despite describing its screenplay as “sincerely the very best script I’ve ever read for me and Jonah [Hill].”
“I get asked more about ‘Jump Street 3’ than another movie on the face of the planet that I’ve ever done,” Tatum said, per Variety. “I don’t think it’ll ever occur. The issue is the overhead. It could cost as much because the actual budget of the film, if no more, due to all of the producers involved. It’s just too top-heavy. It falls over each time.”
He said that he, Hill, Lord, and Miller were willing to scale back their fees to assist get the sequel made, but claimed Moritz’s compensation demands remained a sticking point.
“[Neal H. Moritz]’s price for a producer fee is big,” he added. “And to be honest, that’s what’s killing it.”
Fans Query The Jump From 22 To 24
Fans quickly took to social media to query each the sequel’s numbering and whether the problems that reportedly stalled “23 Jump Street” have finally been resolved.
“Jumping straight to 24, huh,” one Reddit user wrote. “Tatum said the film was struggling to get going because Neal H. Moritz had a really high fee. Is that finally solved?”
One other added, “Lmao, did they skip 23 or is that this a typo? They need to’ve finally gotten around Neal H. Moritz from allegedly holding up pre-production on account of his asking price. He was a producer on ‘Scary Movie 6,’ and that managed to have a surprisingly lower budget of $30 million.”
A dissatisfied fan wrote, “I’ll never forgive them for not doing the MiB crossover. Schmitt and Jenko as Men in Black just writes itself.”
Others were simply thrilled to see the franchise return, with one user declaring, “Comedy is back!!”
‘Jump Street’ Has Spent Years In Development Limbo
Whether “24 Jump Street” ultimately reaches theaters stays to be seen. Since 2014, Sony has explored several franchise expansions that never gained traction.
Amongst them was a female-led spin-off, written by “Bob’s Burgers” writers Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, which was reportedly titled “Jump Street: Now for Her Pleasure” and targeted for development in 2020.
Nonetheless, little has been heard concerning the project within the years since. In 2023, reports also suggested that Brie Larson could reprise her role as Molly Tracey from “21 Jump Street,” but those plans have likewise gone quiet.
Because of this, many fans remain cautiously optimistic until cameras are literally rolling on “24 Jump Street.”