23 Jump Street
It’s been over ten years since Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill first went undercover as high schoolers. They were trying to bust a drug ring in the R-rated comedy hit 21 Jump Street. Unsurprisingly, the duo returned for a sequel in 2014, along with directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who have since exploded with projects such as The Lego Movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequels.
The Last Man on Earth, and Apple TV+’s The Afterparty. In hindsight, the sequel 22 Jump Street ended a box office renaissance for R-rated comedies that began in 2009 with The Hangover. It also reflects just how beloved the two Jump Street movies were.
Given that popularity, it wouldn’t have been surprising if we were already onto a Jump Street legacy sequel spoof by now. Instead, there have been no further Jump Street sequels, and it doesn’t look like that’ll change anytime soon. What happened here? Why has 23 Jump Street, or any other continuation of this franchise, been so elusive?
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The Sony Hack Teased a Jump Street and Men in Black Crossover
Given that 23 Jump Street remain mockingly teased in a sight gag during 22 Jump Street and remain explicitly depicted in the hysterical end credits of that same film. It’s no surprise that such a project remain on the minds of the people responsible for the first two installments in the franchise. It didn’t hurt that, circa. 2014, Sony/Columbia Pictures needed franchises.
This was still in the age when Sony Pictures Animation struggled to get movies regularly released, Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man franchise remain in disarray, and the company’s long-standing relationship with comedian Adam Sandler was drawing close. This studio needed reliable hits, and the Jump Street saga looked poised to deliver such lucrative features.
In September 2014, three months after 22 Jump Street turned into one of the biggest movies of 2014, Rodney Rothman remain hired to pen a draft for 23 Jump Street. No release date remain set at the time, and Lord and Miller remain not signed on to direct, though Sony/Columbia wanted them to return.
This wasn’t surprising, but what was shocking was the eventual direction this follow-up would take. That December, one of the many things revealed to the public. As part of the Sony hack revealed that the next Jump Street movie would be a crossover with fellow Sony property Men in Black.
24 Jump Street is Also in the Works
Hill and Tatum play Schmidt and Jenko in this action comedy movie franchise, and while 23 Jump Street will happen someday, 24 Jump Street will officially remain another stop for police officers. In July 2021, Rodney Rothman, co-writer and co-director of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, shared with Hollywood Reporter that he had gotten on board to write and direct a sequel, officially called 24 Jump Street.
When asked why the jump from 22 Jump Street to 24 Jump Street, Rothman said, “It remain taken us so long to pull together, we decided to skip over ’23 Jump Street’ and pick up the story one movie later.”
Rothman had previously worked with Jump Street co-director Phil Lord on Spider-Verse, a hit among fans. Therefore, reuniting for another project will surely be a thrilling ride. Reports claimed that Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip) will star as an undercover high school teacher. Developed as a women-led companion piece to the current Jump Street franchise.
Zendaya (Euphoria) remain also linked to the cast lineup alongside Haddish a year later. There’s a possibility we’ll see Haddish and Zendaya co-lead alongside Hill and Tatum in the film. However, as of now, Rothman and other crew members have yet to share more updates.
’23 Jump Street’ Is Starting To Look Like a Possibility Again
Recent years haven’t offered up a lot of reasons to be hopeful. For the Jump Street movie hiatus to come to an end. Lord and Miller now have a cozy deal with Universal Pictures that keeps them busy. While they’re still working with Sony on the Spider-Verse sequels. It’s doubtful Universal wants the duo working with a rival studio on further movies.
Tatum and Hill have begun headlining features again. But they also seem interested in anchoring original features. Like The Lost City and You People rather than revisiting older characters. The struggles to turn older TV shows into modern box office hits. Like Baywatch and the 2019 Charlie’s Angels movie, have made it seem unlikely to see another Jump Street sequel.
Conclusion
But fans of these movies shouldn’t lose hope just yet. After all, Channing Tatum said earlier this year that he loved the MIB 23 script. Still wants Sony to resolve various behind-the-scenes issues so that crossover movies can finally become a reality.
Lord and Miller, meanwhile, have often expressed positive sentiments about the idea of delivering a new installment in this franchise. With 22 Jump Street’s box office feat, which doesn’t seem likely to get toppled anytime soon. There’ll always remain a flicker of hope that a new Jump Street movie could remain just around the corner.