The 21 Jump Street film series was one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2010s. Rather than being another disposable update of a classic pop culture property, it stood out by reinventing the premise as a sharp meta comedy that took aim at buddy comedies and the concept of Hollywood reboots. 21 Jump Street proved to be so successful that sequel 22 Jump Street quickly came to fruition. In the decade since, there have been attempts to get a third installment off the ground, yet nothing has come to fruition yet. Based on the latest comments from star Channing Tatum, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see a 23 Jump Street.
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Speaking with Variety, Tatum shared a disappointing update on the future of the Jump Street franchise. “I don’t think [23 Jump Street] will ever happen,” he said. “The problem is the overhead. It would cost as much as the actual budget of the film, if not more, because of all the producers involved. It’s just too top-heavy. It falls over every time.”
Is It Too Late for 23 Jump Street To Happen?
After the release of 22 Jump Street (which, like its predecessor, was a well-received box office hit), numerous ideas for other films were discussed. These included a female-led spinoff movie and a wild crossover concept that would have seen Schmidt and Jenko team up with the Men in Black. It’s sad to hear Tatum cast doubt on 23 Jump Street ever becoming a reality since these proposed follow-ups have potential to be entertaining additions to the franchise, putting a fresh spin on the formula. At the same time, a case can be made that it might be for the best if the series stays a duology.
Not only did the end credits of 22 Jump Street hilariously lampoon the practice of milking a successful franchise to death with endless sequels and spinoffs, a lot of time has passed since that film debuted. Long-delayed comedy legacy sequels have a very mixed track record from a creative perspective, as it’s difficult to recapture the magic after an extended gap. It would be a shame to see Jump Street return and fail to live up to expectations. In many ways, the 22 Jump Street credits sequence was the perfect ending for the series, sending it off on a high note.
That said, Jump Street could be the exception to the rule. It’s unlikely 23 Jump Street would happen without the involvement of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the directing duo who helmed the two Jump Street films. Lord and Miller are still very much at the top of their game, as evidenced by their work producing the critically acclaimed Spider-Verse series. Their next directorial effort, Project Hail Mary, is shaping up to be one of the most promising film releases of next year. Lord and Miller made a career out of taking potentially bad ideas and spinning them into gold, so they could likely find a creative way to crack a 23 Jump Street story if the logistical issues were ever sorted out.
In the time since 22 Jump Street was released, legacy sequels became the hot trend in Hollywood, with franchises like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and even Top Gun continuing decades after they first launched. Since the Jump Street films leaned heavily into meta elements by riffing on established industry tropes, it might be fun to see a legacy sequel that pokes fun at legacy sequels. That would need to be a delicate balancing act; there’s a risk of the Jump Street schtick running thin after one too many movies. The last thing fans would want is for the joke to become played out, so 23 Jump Street should only happen if the filmmakers have a strong idea for a high-quality movie.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
