Despite the critical acclaim and box office success of 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, the anticipated third installment, 23 Jump Street, was surprisingly never made. The comedic franchise, starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as undercover cops, took the simple premise of the original 1980s TV show and turned it into a modern comedy goldmine. 21 Jump Street rebooted the concept in a hilarious way, and 22 Jump Street took the humor to college, outperforming its predecessor with over $331 million grossed worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). Given this triumph, the cancellation of 23 Jump Street left many fans and industry observers scratching their heads.
The comedic potential of placing Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) in different educational settings seemed limitless, a point playfully emphasized by the numerous fake sequel titles teased in the end credits of 22 Jump Street. These included hilarious concepts like 23 Jump Street: Medical School and 27 Jump Street: Culinary School, suggesting a wealth of directions a third film could take. However, instead of pursuing a straightforward sequel, Sony Pictures opted for an ambitious crossover with another major franchise: Men in Black, tentatively titled MiB 23. This unexpected direction, unfortunately, proved to be the undoing of 23 Jump Street.
The Sony Hack and the Revelation of MiB 23
The initial whispers of a Jump Street and Men in Black crossover emerged during the infamous Sony Pictures hack in November 2014. Leaked emails and documents revealed the studio’s plans to merge the two popular buddy-cop franchises. This leak instantly generated significant buzz and anticipation for MiB 23, as the concept of Jenko and Schmidt entering the Men in Black universe was undeniably intriguing. The studio’s ambition to create a massive crossover event became public knowledge, setting high expectations for the project.
Every fake Jump Street sequel from 22 Jump Street’s post-credit:
| 23 Jump Street: Medical School |
|---|
| 24 Jump Street: Foreign Exchange Students |
| 25 Jump Street: A Semester At Sea |
| 26 Jump Street: Art School |
| 27 Jump Street: Culinary School |
| 28 Jump Street: Veterinary School |
| 29 Jump Street: Sunday School |
| 30 Jump Street: Flight Academy |
| 31 Jump Street: Ninja Academy |
| 32 Jump Street: Fireman School |
| 33 Jump Street: Generations |
| 34 Jump Street: Return of the Ghost |
| 35 Jump Street: Traffic School |
| 36 Jump Street: Military School |
| 37 Jump Street: Scuba Class |
| 38 Jump Street: Dance Academy |
| Jump Street (video game) |
| Jump Street: The Animated Series |
| 39 Jump Street: The Electronic Target Game |
| 40 Jump Street: Retirement Home |
| 41 Jump Street: Magic School |
| 42 Jump Street: Beauty School |
| 43 Jump Street: Mariachi School |
| 2121 Jump Street |
| Infinity Jump Street |
Considering the financial success of 22 Jump Street over its predecessor, a straightforward 23 Jump Street sequel seemed like a guaranteed hit. However, Sony aimed for something grander with the Men in Black crossover. Despite attaching director James Bobin to MiB 23, the project languished in development, and ultimately, Bobin moved on to other ventures, signaling trouble for the ambitious crossover.
Was the Jump Street & Men In Black Crossover Too Ambitious for 23 Jump Street?
The planned Jump Street and Men in Black crossover, MiB 23, faced skepticism from within the franchise itself. Jonah Hill voiced concerns about the project’s scale, suggesting it might lose the self-aware, comedic charm that defined the Jump Street movies. He stated (via Toronto Sun):
“It’s almost become what we were making fun of, and it’s hard to maintain that joke when it’s so high stakes.”
Hill’s apprehension highlights a key challenge: maintaining the Jump Street franchise’s meta-humor and parody when merging it with a large, established franchise like Men in Black. While both franchises feature buddy-cop dynamics, the tones are distinct. Jump Street thrives on its comedic deconstruction of action movie tropes, whereas Men in Black, while humorous, operates within a sci-fi action framework. The potential for comedic clashes was evident, but perhaps the sheer scale of merging these worlds proved overwhelming.
Furthermore, the Men in Black franchise itself faced a setback with the disappointing reception of the 2019 spin-off, Men in Black: International. This film’s failure likely contributed to Sony’s decision to reconsider the MiB 23 crossover. After the underperformance of Men in Black: International, the studio may have opted to play it safe and shelve the risky crossover project, effectively cancelling 23 Jump Street in the process. The meta-narrative of Jump Street parodying endless sequels and reboots could have been brilliantly amplified by the crossover. However, releasing MiB 23 might have also been seen as becoming the very thing it mocked, risking the franchise’s comedic integrity.
After all, 21 Jump Street itself was a reboot of the 21 Jump Street TV series that launched Johnny Depp’s career. In retrospect, cancelling the ambitious 23 Jump Street crossover might have been a prudent move for Sony, especially after the Men in Black franchise showed signs of fatigue.
Cast Enthusiasm for a 23 Jump Street Return
Despite the apparent cancellation of 23 Jump Street, key figures involved in the franchise have expressed continued interest in revisiting the series. Channing Tatum, while acknowledging Jonah Hill’s reservations about the Men in Black crossover, revealed that Hill is still open to a third Jump Street movie if the right opportunity arises. Tatum even praised the script for a potential third film (via IndieWire):
“There is a project that was written and it’s still the best script that I’ve ever read for a third movie. It’s just a lot of bureaucracy, kind of above the line stuff. It’s really hard to get it made and we’ve been trying to get it done.”
22 Jump Street Movie Poster
Tatum’s comments suggest that a script for 23 Jump Street exists, separate from the Men in Black crossover concept. The “bureaucracy” he mentions could refer to the complexities of rights issues, especially if the script still involves elements related to the Men in Black franchise, or simply the usual Hollywood hurdles in getting a major movie greenlit. Tatum has remained optimistic, even suggesting casting Brad Pitt in 23 Jump Street, indicating his strong belief in the project’s potential.
Ice Cube, who played the memorable Captain Dickson in the first two Jump Street films, also confirmed his willingness to return. While not privy to specific plans for 23 Jump Street, he expressed fond memories of working on the previous films and his enthusiasm for reprising his role (via PopCulture):
“Yeah, man, I had a good time with Jonah Hill, Channing [Tatum], we had fun. I think people liked the films, people like Captain Dixon. So yeah, if they call me, I’ll jump in there and do it again.”
The enduring enthusiasm from both the cast and fans for 23 Jump Street is remarkable, especially considering its apparent shelving years ago. While the Men in Black crossover may be dead, the possibility of a more traditional 23 Jump Street sequel should not be entirely ruled out. The comedic chemistry of Tatum and Hill, combined with the franchise’s proven track record, could still make 23 Jump Street a highly anticipated and successful cinematic event if it ever overcomes the “bureaucracy” and makes it to the screen.
