Before Kevin Hart headlined Central Intelligence opposite Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the actor-comedian’s buddy cop credentials could be traced back to Ride Along, Tim Story’s balls-to-the-walls actioner that first launched two years ago.
Tethered with some fairly low expectations, even considering the cracking chemistry that ensued between Hart and Ice Cube, few would have predicted that the abrasive romp would spawn a sequel, yet here we are. Now, the action-comedy franchise has pulled in $250 million worldwide across the space of two movies – on a combined budget of $65 million, no less – meaning that today’s announcement that Ride Along 3 is officially in the works shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.
Little is known about the embryonic threequel other than the fact that director Tim Story is expected to return at the helm, working from a script once again written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. Kevin Hart and Ice Cube are also expected to work out arrangements to headline the film, returning in the roles of Ben, a goofy security guard that practically has Kevin Hart’s style of comedy written all over it, and James, his hardboiled brother-in-law that, likewise, has Cube’s style of comedy written all over it. That format has evidently warranted a full-blown trilogy, but until we learn of some tangible news relating to the upcoming installment, you can share your early impressions below.
Ride Along 3 is officially a go, but are you excited to see the boys back in action following this year’s divisive sequel? Or would you rather the action series be retired least it descend into a textbook case of diminishing returns?
