Buddy cop comedies are popular once more, following on the heels of 21 Jump Street, The Heat, and even Kevin Smith’s ill-fated Cop Out. As Hollywood bids to remake every film made in the 1980s and 90s, it’s therefore no surprise that a remake of the 1984 cop comedy Police Academy is at the top of everyone’s list. To this end, comedy team Key and Peele have stepped in to produce the Police Academy remake.
Best known for their Comedy Central show Key and Peele, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele are now taking on the roles of producers for the screwy comic franchise, according to THR (via /Film). While this does not mean that they will also be appearing in the remake, one can always hope. Their involvement may certainly move Police Academy from being an ill-conceived money grab to a film of great comedic potential.
The Police Academy franchise of the 1980s and 90s followed a gang of oddball fledgling cops through their paces at the Police Academy to the mean streets and finally off across the ocean in 1994’s Mission To Moscow. While the franchise began petering out after one or two instalments, it launched a number of careers and starred such 80s icons as Steve Gutenberg, Kim Cattrall, Bubba Smith, and Bobcat Goldthwaite. As such, it possesses a unique potential for gathering together both contemporary comedians, old icons, and one or two new faces to round out the cast.Â
Whether or not the Police Academy remake will be the next 21 Jump Street will rest squarely with the cast and the script – this has the potential to go either way: inspired rude comedy or dull and predictable sex jokes. With Key and Peele attached, we can maintain some hope for the former.
As of right now there is no director for Police Academy, but it’s all set up over at New Line, so we can expect to hear more about that any day now.
