It's so strange for me to see a "21 Jump Street" movie happening. My childhood ran through the '80s and '90s, and I was right at the target age when the original, Johnny Depp-starring series came out. My friends and I deemed it hilarious, an object of ridicule. While Depp has since evolved into one of my favorite actors, the show -- which puts forth a far-fetched scenario involving young-looking cops who go undercover in a high school -- remains something to chuckle at.
The coming adaptation, written and executive produced by "Superbad" star Jonah Hill, is nonetheless something I'm looking forward to. Hill's comic sensibilities are great, and if anyone can get to the heart of the original series and serve it up in a way that make it appealing to modern audiences, it's him. The recent hiring of "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs" directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller only sweetens the deal, as their CG tale of raining food products was a surprise hit and is now one of the Golden Globes contenders this Sunday.
Hill spoke recently with ComingSoon.net, and he offered a few more tantalizing details about "Jump Street" and what his hopes for it are. More importantly, he also laid out a basic timeframe for when we might see it.
"We're going to shoot it this year I think," he said. "It's about cops who go back to high school. Young rookie cops who go back to high school. I think that's a real interesting idea as opposed to saying, that's not what happened in the show so it can't happen in the movie."
The "young rookie cops" angle is what Hill refers to when he says "that's not what happened on the show." And frankly, it's a more elegant way of setting up what is ultimately a rather outlandish scenario. There are more surprises in store too, as Hill has some very specific ideas about what the movie will be and what it won't be.
"[Audiences are] not expecting what it's going to be. It's not a parody of the show," he said. "It's a group of people that go back to high school to deal with a drug problem. To deal with crime in high school. I really love the 'Back to the Future' moment of that where it's getting to relive a certain period of your life... It's a comedy with really cool action."
Hill wouldn't say much more than that. He will have a role in the movie as one of the cops -- "I'm not playing Johnny Depp's character," he said -- and he confirmed that "the Chapel's there," but the specifics stop there. "There will be stuff from the show," he promised. There's still a ways to go it seems before we hear more, as the script is currently being overhauled to better fit with what the newly hired directors want to do.
Are you game for a "21 Jump Street" movie? Who would you like to see fill out the cast? Should Johnny Depp make a cameo?
** FOLLOW MTV MOVIES BLOG ON TWITTER! **