The undercover cop comedy that just refused to stay canceled is back. Twelve years after 22 Jump Street, Sony has officially confirmed that 24 Jump Street is in development, and the band is largely getting back together. Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and Ice Cube are all in talks to reprise their roles as Schmidt, Jenko, and the inimitable Captain Dickson, with Rodney Rothman (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) set to direct and the franchise’s original creative duo, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, returning as producers.
As for the conspicuous gap in the numbering, yes, they’re skipping 23 Jump Street entirely. Producer Neal H. Moritz addressed it with characteristic deadpan on Instagram, explaining that it simply “took so long to make we had to skip one.” Hard to argue with the logic. And if you really think about it, 22 Jump Street‘s gloriously overlong end-credits sequence, which sent Schmidt and Jenko undercover in medical school, culinary school, dance school, and eventually outer space, probably contains enough raw material to fill an entire missing instalment on its own.
The timing feels right. Big-screen comedy has been enjoying a genuine resurgence of late, with the likes of The Naked Gun and Scary Movie reminding studios that audiences will still show up for a well-crafted laugh. Someone at Sony has clearly taken note, and decided now is the moment to resurrect a franchise that grossed over $500 million across its first two films and earned genuine affection from critics and crowds alike.
Jonah Hill co-wrote the script alongside Rothman and returning series writer Meghan Malloy, though it’s worth noting that Tatum currently only has an offer on the table rather than a confirmed deal. As for the long-rumoured Men in Black crossover that 22 Jump Street so gleefully teased, don’t hold your breath. But given how vocally enthusiastic Tatum has been about returning to the franchise in recent years, there’s every reason to be excited about wherever this one takes Schmidt and Jenko next.
