You’re never too old to go to high school. Back in the ’80s, 21 Jump Street was a popular show for the FOX Network that featured Tiger Beat pin-up Johnny Depp, Peter DeLuise, Holly Robinson, Steven Williams, and Dustin Nguyen. Now Jonah Hill is looking to adapt Stephen J. Cannell’s show to the big screen. Comingsoon.net recently chatted with Hill where he revealed details about what’s in store for the adaptation.
On board to direct is Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) who are going from animation to the live-action realm, much like Andrew Adamson did when he went from Shrek to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. “We’re going to shoot it this year I think,” says Hill. “We hired directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller who directed ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ and are friends of mine. They are incredible. Their take on the movie is incredible… It’s about [young rookie] cops who go back to high school.”
Based on an original idea by Hill, the screenplay was written by Michael Bacall (who also penned the adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) and Joe Gazzam. The film will keep the same basic premise as the series but will have a tone that Hill believes will surprise fans. Hill says it won’t be a parody, but will stick to the norm of “a group of people that go back to high school to deal with a drug problem.” It won’t have the seriousness of Miami Vice; it’ll be funny. As Hill puts it, “it’s like a John Hughes movie with ‘Bad Boys’ style action.”
Other than Hill, who is also producing, no cast has been announced.
I don’t know about this one. Television shows has always been good fodder for big-screen updates. But older TV shows are different. Granted, 21 Jump Street isn’t that old, but with films like The Dukes of Hazzard, The Avengers or Bewitched, it makes you wonder who’s green-lighting this stuff. I guess they can’t all be like The Fugitive.
As to who Hill would play, he would definitely need to go the route of Seth Rogen and get a personal trainer ASAP if we’re going to take him seriously as a young rookie cop. Just imagine if there’s a foot chase and he gets winded before rounding the first corner.
Oh, and it’s just gotta include the theme song.
Source: Comingsoon.net