Director Duo in Talks for ‘21 Jump Street’

Published by Jeff Leins on: December 21st, 2009

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are in talks for 21 Jump Street, an adaptation of the 80’s TV series co-written, executive produced, and starring Jonah Hill.  The Columbia Pictures movie would be the live-action debut for both filmmakers.

The original show was about a team of young looking police officers working undercover to put a stop to teen crime.  It was a star-making vehicle for A-lister Johnny Depp.  Cross your fingers for a cameo.

In an earlier interview, Hill described the movie to Complex, “[Sony execs said] they were gonna let me make my kind of movie—an R-rated, insane, Bad-Boys-meets-John Hughes-type movie—and I told them the second they don’t, I’m not gonna be involved anymore. We’re not even spoofing the movie. It’s not strictly comedic, either. We’re doing a full-on action movie, blowing shit up.”

“21 Jump Street” will join the ranks of other 80’s television adaptations on shelves or in development, including MacGyver, Miami Vice, Transformers, A-Team, Magnum P.I., and a failed Knight Rider redo.

Aside from Meatballs, Lord and Miller co-created MTV’s “Clone High,” and wrote/produced for “How I Met Your Mother.”  Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke was loosely attached to direct at one point, but is committed to other conflicting projects.  Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer was also considered.

Sources: Heat Vision Blog, Slashfilm, BFDealMemo