Sequels are already in the works for two upcoming cop comedies.  Buzz is strong for Bridesmaids director Paul Feig’s buddy cop comedy The Heat, and Deadline reports that screenwriter Katie Dippold has been tapped to start working on the script for a follow-up months before the first film even opens.  The pic stars Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy as a by-the-books FBI agent and a rough-around-the-edges local Boston cop, respectively, who team up to take down a drug lord.  The film’s red-band trailer promises plenty of laughs and great chemistry between Bullock and McCarthy, and the pic’s June 28th release date shows big confidence from 20th Century Fox.  Hit the jump for news of a sequel to Ride Along.

One of the most pleasant surprises of 2012 was Sony’s 21 Jump Street adaptation.  While remakes and reboots are usually developed with an eye towards appealing to the widest possible audience, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller crafted a wonderfully peculiar and hilarious comedy that benefitted from some excellent chemistry between stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill.  As the R-rated film grossed over $200 million worldwide, both fans and Sony were keen on moving forward with a sequel.  Screenwriter Michael Bacall has been working on the script for the follow-up alongside Hill, and Sony recently announced that they’re planning the film for a 2014 release.

Steve recently sat down for a lengthy interview with producer Neal Moritz, and during their wide-ranging conversation Moritz talked quite a bit about 21 Jump Street 2.  He confirmed that the story finds Tatum and Hill infiltrating a college campus, Ice Cube is set to return as Captain Dickson, and he also noted that Lord and Miller are attached to direct with an eye towards a summer 2014 release date.  Hit the jump to read on.

The official synopses for a couple of upcoming Universal Pictures films have been released.  Director Peter Cornwell’s (The Haunting in Connecticut) supernatural thriller Mercy is based on the short story of the same name by Stephen King and stars Chandler Riggs (The Walking Dead) and Joel Courtney (Super 8) as two young boys who, after moving with their mother to take care of their dying grandmother at a decrepit farmhouse, encounter a dark spirit.  Shirley Knight, Frances O’Connor, Mark Duplass, and Dylan McDermott also star in this Jason Blum-produced (Paranormal Activity) thriller.

Additionally, we’ve got an official synopsis for the action-comedy Ride Along.  Directed by Tim Story (Fantastic Four), the film stars Kevin Hart as a fast-talking aspiring police officer who must team up with his girlfriend’s brother, a hot-tempered cop (Ice Cube), to prove that he’s worthy of being her husband.  The film also stars John Leguizamo, Jay Pharoah, and Laurence Fishbourne and opens on January 17, 2014.  Hit the jump to read the full synopses.

With Nate Parker (Red Tails) reportedly exiting Spike Lee’s Oldboy remake due to scheduling conflicts (with Non-Stop, starring Liam Neeson), the director has turned to a familiar collaborator in James Ransone (Sinister).  Oldboy will mark the third time the duo have worked together, following Lee’s Inside Man and Red Hook Summer.   Currently filming, Oldboy also stars Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson and Sharlto Copely.  Variety reports that Ransone will play a doctor who works with Olsen’s character in the remake of Chan-wook Park’s revenge thriller, a story that centers on a man (Brolin) who escapes from a decade of imprisonment and goes in search of his kidnappers.  Ransone can next be seen in Broken City, along with Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg.

For news on John Leguizamo (The Lincoln Lawyer) joining Ice Cube and Kevin Hart in the action-comedy, Ride Along, hit the jump.

From here on out, when I see a movie and can’t quit thinking about it one week after my initial viewing I’m going to refer to it as the Martha Marcy May Marlene effect. I was uncertain how I felt about it while watching. Flash-forward one week later and I’m still uncertain. Combine some great performances from Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes, reserved but effective cinematography, sparse dialogue and even fewer musical cues and what I got was one of the most paranoia-filled movie experiences I’ve ever had. While that may sound like a backhanded compliment, if writer/director Sean Durkin was trying to evoke the type of emotions I think he was with Martha, it may be the highest compliment I can pay him.

In this, the St. Patty’s edition of the “Top 5″, you can find 21 Jump Street interviews with Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube and more, The Avengers bits in which Joss Whedon discusses the pic, its current runtime, The Avengers 2, etc., Casa de mi Padre interviews with Will Ferrell, Nick Offerman and more, the first trailer and poster for Tim Burton‘s Dark Shadows, and all of our SXSW 2012 coverage. A brief recap and link to each ensue after the jump.

Normally, we post informative PSAs every Sunday, but today we have a special one for you to check out. If you’re still not convinced that 21 Jump Street is a hilarious, must-see movie after all the clips, trailers, interviews and reviews we’ve posted, maybe this new PSA will help to change your mind. And if you pay attention, you might learn a thing or to that could maybe save your life. But probably not. Regardless, fresh-faced cops Schmidt and Jenko are here to educate you on the dangers of finger blasting. 21 Jump Street starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum and Ice Cube opens March 16th. Hit the jump to watch the hilarious PSAs.

21 Jump Street is going to surprise you.  Not only is it one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time, it’s got some great action and awesome performances from all involved.  If you had told me that the pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum would be comedy gold, I would have never believed you.  But they are.  Also, another big surprise was Ice Cube.  I’ve seen the film twice and both times he brings the house down with his almost everything he says.  Trust me, you want to see 21 Jump Street and I’d advise seeing it with a crowded theater.  It’s a blast.  For more on the film, here’s Matt’s glowing review, Brendan’s set visit, a five-minute red band clip, and all our coverage on directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller‘s awesome movie.

Last week I got to speak with Ice Cube at the New York City press junket.  During the interview he talked about how he got involved in the project, did his character change during the shoot, karaoke, and his favorite movie, director and actor.  In addition, Cube gave me an update on the next Friday sequel and addressed whether or not Chris Tucker will return.  He told me, “There’s a lot of movement. I’m writing the script right now, so we worked out a deal with New Line. The ball is rolling. We invited everybody back and we’ll have a fun movie.”  Hit the jump for more.

Sony has released a five-minute red-band trailer for 21 Jump Street.  I’m not going to watch it.  I’m already sold on the movie since I’ve only heard raves about it.  I’ve been told directly “I know your sense of humor and you are going to love this movie.”  I was pretty much sold back when the first red-band trailer hit.  Watching five minutes of the movie would just spoil more jokes for me, so I’m going to pass.

However, if you need more convincing, you can check out the trailer after the jump.  The film stars  Jonah Hill (who also co-wrote the script), Channing Tatum, Nick Offerman, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, and Rob Riggle.  21 Jump Street opens March 16th.  I’ll be seeing the film at SXSW, so look for my review later this week.

Last fall, we learned that New Line was in talks with Ice Cube to write, produce and star in a fourth installment of the Friday franchise. The 1995 film spawned two sequels: Next Friday and Friday After Next, and kicked off the acting career of Chris Tucker. The actor all but dropped out of the spotlight following Rush Hour 3, but has recently returned to acting with a role in David O. Russell’s upcoming The Silver Linings Playbook. When news of another Friday movie broke, word was that Cube was interested in having Tucker reprise his character of Smokey from the first film.

Steve got to speak with Cube at the 21 Jump Street press junket this morning in New York City, and Cube gave a brief update on the next Friday sequel and addressed whether or not he thinks Tucker will return. Additionally, as he recently directed an entry in ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, the multi-talented performer talked about the prospect of directing more often in the future. Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

A new trailer and poster have debuted for 21 Jump Street. The trailer only has a small amount of new footage from the last trailer we saw, but the movie still looks great. I was a huge fan of directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and they seem to have brought their oddball sense of humor to Jump Street. Stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum look to be genuinely funny, and the film continues to be high on my most anticipated list for 2012.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and poster. The film also stars Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Nick Offerman, and Rob Riggle. 21 Jump Street opens March 16th, 2012.

World, prepare yourself for two Ices on TV. Not content with letting Ice-T have the airwaves all to himself, Ice Cube is apparently eyeing his first series regular role on the drama Eye for an Eye. THR reports that Cube is producing the series, and is currently mulling over the prospect of starring in it himself. The show centers on “a veteran paramedic who after years responding to violent scenes takes matters into his own hands and turns into a vigilante out for revenge.” I get that the character will probably be hunting down murderers and wife-beaters, but will he also be getting revenge on car accident-causers and the like? (I sincerely hope so).

Cube will be executive producing the show through his Cube Vision banner. He also executive produces the TBS show Are We There Yet. Cube will next be seen in the feature film version of 21 Jump Street which stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.

I’ve been hearing about the cop drama Rampart for quite a while now, specifically Woody Harrelson’s performance in the film. The first trailer has now been released, and Harrelson does indeed look to be delivering one hell of a performance. The pic focuses on a Vietnam vet and cop who does his job a bit dirtier than most, unafraid to to blur the lines between right and wrong. Harrelson looks strong here, and I’m assuming the movie as a whole hinges on his character spinning out of control. Much has been said about the actor’s Oscar chances, so if he continues to pick up steam expect to hear a lot more about Rampart in the coming weeks.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film also stars Ben Foster, Robin Wright, Anne Heche, Ice Cube, Sigourney Weaver, Cynthia Nixon, Ned Beatty, and Steve Buscemi. Rampart opens November 23rd.

A lot can go down between Thursday and Saturday, but it’s been almost ten years since we’ve seen a Friday movie. That could all change as New Line is in talks with Ice Cube to write, produce and star in another installment of the series. Cube executive produced and starred as Craig Jones in the 1995 original and reprised his role both on screen and off in the 2000 sequel Next Friday and 2002’s Friday After Next. Cube may also be in line to direct the next segment.

A favorite from the first movie, Smokey, played by Chris Tucker, is in talks to return for the new film. Cube apparently wants him to reprise his role but Tucker has been non-committal. Tucker and Cube were the main focus of the first movie as they spent most of the day smoking, drinking and doing all kinds of ill shit. Hit the jump for more.

The red-band trailer for the R-rated comedic adaptation of 21 Jump Street hit last week and instantly made the movie one of my most-anticipated for 2012.  All of the jokes were funny, and you’ll see all of them again in the green-band trailer.  It’s almost exactly the same as the red-band, but the swearing has been cut out.  However, the jokes are still great, which means the movie doesn’t coast solely on foul-mouthed humor.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film stars Jonah Hill (who also co-wrote the script), Channing Tatum, Nick Offerman, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, and Rob Riggle.  21 Jump Street opens March 16, 2012.

A red band trailer for 21 Jump Street has been released. A remake of the 1980s television series of the same name, the film stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as young cops who go undercover at a high school. The trailer is actually hilariously fantastic. The high school flashbacks of Hill and Tatum’s characters are perfect, and there’s a much-welcomed appearance in the trailer by Parks and Recreation‘s Nick Offerman. Hill and Tatum look to have some great chemistry, and in some ways the film actually feels like a spiritual sequel to Superbad.  I’m definitely excited to see more. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs), the film also stars Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Brie Larsen, and Rob Riggle.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. And if you missed it, be sure to check out Brendan’s set visit preview for the film. 21 Jump Street opens March 16^th, 2012.