The early buzz surrounding "21 Jump Street" seems to be very positive, and after having enjoyed the red band trailer and a bunch of clips from the film, we have to say we're in no way surprised. The big screen adaptation of the late '80s/early '90s TV show hits SXSW and then theatres in a couple of weeks time, and the film's star and co-writer Jonah Hill says that a sequel is already in the works.
Hill told E! at the Oscars this past weekend, "We are writing the sequel now. We got [the greenlight] by the studio to start writing the sequel." No word if the film's co-writer Michael Bacall ("Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World," "Project X") is also on boad, but we presume he is, and Sony must be quietly confident that the film will not only be funny, but that it will also make a sizable dent in the box office. Hill also boasted, "I'd say it's the funniest movie I've ever been in—that and 'Superbad.' It's like a two-hour or hour-and-a-half party."
We're really hoping this does prove to be as successful as the studio expects it to be, because we're fans of everyone involved. We've been rooting for the directing pair Phil Lord and Chris Miller ever since they made one of the best animated films of the last decade outside of Pixar with "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," and it's good to see that Jonah Hill's still committed to comedy after his Oscar nom. And we even hope this provides a boost to Channing Tatum — yes, the widely (and unfairly) derided Channing Tatum — who was hilarious in his small role in "The Dilemma" and looks set for a big year with "Magic Mike" still to come.
If you really can't wait until the film's release to get your Jump Street fix, then luckily for you a new clip is here to tide you over. It's taken from fairly early in the movie and sees Tatum and Hill chasing some perps through the park. It's pretty funny stuff and should whet your appetite before the film is released on March 16th.