Sony is reportedly eying Tiffany Haddish to star in their female-led reboot of the Jump Street movie series. The studio is also on the lookout for Haddish’s costar in the film and (apparently) hopes to land rapper-turned actor Awkwafina for the role.
The dramatic 1980s TV series 21 Jump Street got a comedic makeover in 2012 with the movie of the same name. Starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as two buddy cops who go undercover as high schoolers, the 21 Jump Street movie was a critical and commercial success that went on to earn a sequel (cheekily titled 22 Jump Street), two years later. While Sony toyed with the idea of a Jump Street and Men in Black franchise crossover film thereafter, the studio has instead decided to focus its efforts on a female-led Jump Street reboot/spinoff that has 22 Jump Street cowriter and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse co-writer/director Rodney Rothman attached to write and direct.
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While Collider reports that Haddish has entered talks to star in the Jump Street reboot/spinoff, Sony has yet to either confirm or deny the news. In the event that Haddish does sign on, however, she won’t be going undercover as a high school student. According to Collider, the idea is that Haddish’s character is a cop who goes undercover as a high school teacher, with her partner masquerading as a student and possibly ever her own daughter. Awkwafina, as mentioned, is said to be Sony’s top pick for the latter role, but hasn’t (seemingly) entered negotiations herself just yet.
Following her star-making supporting turn in last year’s hit comedy Girls Trip, Haddish has appeared in several films (including the hit comedy Night School, costarring Kevin Hart) and costarred on the TV series The Last O.G. Awkwafina has also enjoyed a whole lot of success in 2018, between her scene-stealing supporting roles in Ocean’s Eight (another female-led spinoff/reboot) and the hit rom-com Crazy Rich Asians. Haddish will next lend her voices to the animated sequels The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part and The Secret Life of Pets 2 in 2019; meanwhile, Collider says Awkwafina is also being considered for a role in Jumanji 3, in addition to her potential Jump Street part.
Rothman is having a pretty great year himself, thanks to the extremely positive critical response to Into the Spider-Verse ahead of its release in theaters next week. The animated Spider-Man film was further cowritten/produced by Jump Street directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, so Rothman clearly already has a proper feel for the irreverent tone and deconstructionist humor that made the previous Jump Street movies a success with critics and general audiences alike. Likewise, Haddish and Awkwafina playing undercover cops in high school is a pairing with some real comedic potential – so here’s to hoping it happens.
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We will bring you more details the new Jump Street movie as they become available.
