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 about 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 issue, revealing that although the script was “sincerely the best script” he had ever read, the project’s financial structure made it nearly impossible to move forward.
According to 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 original stars, Hill, Tatum, and Ice Cube, are in talks to return, while Rodney Rothman is set 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 is also known for the “Fast & Furious” films.
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 expected to reprise his role as the perpetually furious Captain Dickson.
Production timelines and a release date are expected to be announced later this year once talent deals are finalized.
Sony Appears To Skip Over ’23 Jump Street’
The “Jump Street” franchise, adapted from the late-1980s television series starring Johnny Depp, remains 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 original film grossed more than $200 million worldwide, while “22 Jump Street” exceeded expectations with an impressive $331 million global haul.
A third installment, originally envisioned as a crossover with Sony’s blockbuster “Men in Black” franchise, has spent more than a decade in development. However, 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 year, Tatum offered insight into why “23 Jump Street” never materialized, despite describing its screenplay as “sincerely the best script I’ve ever read for me and Jonah [Hill].”
“I get asked more about ‘Jump Street 3’ than any other movie on the face of the planet that I’ve ever done,” Tatum said, per Variety. “I don’t think it’ll ever happen. The problem is the overhead. It would cost as much as the actual budget of the film, if not more, because of all the producers involved. It’s just too top-heavy. It falls over every time.”
He said that he, Hill, Lord, and Miller were willing to reduce their fees to help get the sequel made, but claimed Moritz’s compensation demands remained a sticking point.
“[Neal H. Moritz]’s price for a producer fee is huge,” he added. “And to be honest, that’s what’s killing it.”
Fans Question The Jump From 22 To 24
Fans quickly took to social media to question both the sequel’s numbering and whether the issues 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 very high fee. Is that finally solved?”
Another added, “Lmao, did they skip 23 or is this a typo? They must’ve finally gotten around Neal H. Moritz from allegedly holding up pre-production due to his asking price. He was a producer on ‘Scary Movie 6,’ and that managed to have a shockingly lower budget of $30 million.”
A disappointed 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 remains to be seen. Since 2014, Sony has explored several franchise expansions that never gained traction.
Among 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.
However, little has been heard about the project in 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.
As a result, many fans remain cautiously optimistic until cameras are actually rolling on “24 Jump Street.”