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Fans of the Jump Street franchise could soon see the return of Channing Tatum Jonah Hill and Ice Cube as Sony Pictures moves forward with plans for a third installment in the popular comedy series. The upcoming film is expected to be titled 24 Jump Street despite the previous movie being called 22 Jump Street.
According to reports the project is currently in development with Rodney Rothman set to direct from a script he co wrote alongside Jonah Hill and Meghan Malloy. The announcement comes more than a decade after the release of 22 Jump Street which premiered in 2014 and became a major box office success.
The original reboot of 21 Jump Street was released in 2012 and was based on the hit television series that aired between 1987 and 1991. The film followed undercover police officers Schmidt played by Jonah Hill and Jenko played by Channing Tatum as they returned to high school to investigate a drug ring while working under the Jump Street program. The sequel took the pair to college where they tackled another undercover assignment while continuing the comedy and action that made the first film popular.
Together the first two movies earned more than 500 million dollars worldwide and established themselves as some of the most successful comedy franchises of the decade. Ice Cube also became a fan favorite through his role as the tough Captain Dickson whose hilarious interactions with the two lead characters added to the films appeal.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller who directed the first two movies are returning as producers alongside Neal H Moritz. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill will also produce the film together with their producing partners Reid Carolin and Matt Dines.
The announcement marks a significant change from comments made by Tatum back in 2014 when discussions about another sequel first emerged. At the time the actor questioned where the story could realistically go after high school and college. He suggested that repeating the same joke for a third film might feel redundant and admitted he was unsure what the next logical step for the characters would be.
Tatum also recently reflected on the unmade crossover between 21 Jump Street and Men In Black saying it remains the best script he has ever read even though the project never reached production.
Although Sony Pictures has not yet announced a release date or confirmed that negotiations with the cast have been finalized the return of the franchise has already generated excitement among fans who have waited more than ten years for Schmidt and Jenko to reunite on the big screen.
