'23 Jump Street' is No Longer a Joke as Sony Hires Writer

In a film that was chock full of huge laughs, 22 Jump Street's closing credits topped everything. The extended sequence followed through on the film's mocking of arbitrary sequels by taking it to a ridiculous degree, showing about two dozen increasingly ridiculous sequels stretching far into the future. 24 Jump Street in Moscow? Yeah, that's in there. Foreign exchange students? Medical school? It's pretty silly, and seemed like an easy way for Phil Lord and Chris Miller to brush off the franchise in one fell swoop. But Sony has other plans, especially after the film made over $310M worldwide.

Deadline reports 22 Jump Street co-writer Rodney Rothman has been hired to pen 23 Jump Street, but does that mean Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill will be headed to Medical School like was teased in the movie? That much isn't clear, nor is it certain Lord and Miller will be back to direct although Sony wants them back. The duo turned down a chance to direct sequels for The Lego Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs after taking both animated movies to the top of the box office charts.

So there's a lot Sony has to consider now that they're officially moving forward on 23 Jump Street. For now, relive that hilarious credits sequence. Which one of these movies would you want to see most?

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Phil Lord and Chris Miller Bringing Back 'The Greatest American Hero'

So far it's indisputable that Phil Lord and Chris Miller have the magic touch for projects nobody expects to work. Whether it was their hit Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street and its sequel, or The Lego Movie, they've always found just the right angle to be successful. And now the duo are going to try and revive another '80s cult classic The Greatest American Hero for the small screen.

Deadline reports Lord and Miller will shepherd a new hour-long sitcom of The Greatest American Hero to broadcast on Fox. The duo will exec-produce alongside Cannell's daughter, Tawnia McKiernan, who also happens to be a TV director. Rodney Rothman, co-writer on 22 Jump Street, will exec-produce and write the scripts for the series. Like the original, which starred William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp, this one will follow a normal everyday teacher who bumbles through being a superhero when he loses the instructions to his super-suit. He'll also have a government handler who may not be on the up and up.

The Greatest American Hero ran from 1981-83 and I enjoyed it at the time, but then again I was like five years old and would have liked anything with superheroes in it. Obviously, not much has changed for me. But I did watch the show recently and it doesn't really hold up. However a new version is coming along at just the right time to be a hit. While the airwaves are flooded with comic book shows there aren't many that are straight-up comedies. I can see this having the same sort of appeal as Chuck had as they tell a similar type of story. At this point, The Greatest American Hero is probably best remembered for two things. One is its theme song "Believe it or Not" (I'm Walking on Air) which is often used in parodies because of how cheesy it is. And the second is the episode of Seinfeld when George Costanza uses said theme for his ridiculous purposes. Here's a taste of both.

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Review: '22 Jump Street' Starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill

There's a running gag throughout Phil Lord and Chris Miller's hilarious 22 Jump Street that it's basically your typical sequel, ripping off the same old jokes and situations while just making things bigger. The more Meta the film gets the funnier it is, and the truth is that they aren't really lying. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are back as best buds and keystone coppers Jenko and Schmidt; they're busting up another student-run drug ring; and the same polarizing forces that broke the duo up the last time are again in effect. But you know what? You'll be laughing too damn hard to care that sometimes 22 Jump Street feels a little familiar, especially since that is kind of the point.

What Lord and Miller have done is up the ante on a follow-up nobody thought would ever happen. The "inside joke" of 21 Jump Street was that it was always sort of destined to fail being a remake of a silly TV show few actually watched. So 22 Jump Street cuts loose and indulges in the bombastic and formulaic nature of movie sequels, dutifully ripped through the welcome return of Nick Offerman's deadpan police sergeant. He tasks Jenko and Schmidt to basically do the exact same thing as before, shipping them off across the street to 22 Jump Street where the unit has taken up shop at the bigger, gaudier Vietnam Church appropriately described as something Iron Man would love.

When the perpetually angry and arguably even angrier Capt. Dickson (Ice Cube) ships them off to college to find the supplier of a new designer drug, Jenko and Schmidt are thrust into a campus life they are ill-equipped to handle. Not only aren't they fooling anybody because of their obvious advanced age, but they begin to feel the pull of the social pecking order. Jenko joins the football team and becomes friends with Zook (Wyatt Russell, a dead ringer for his father Kurt), the squad's QB and potential suspect in the case. Meanwhile, Schmidt is feeling left out until he hooks up...in more ways than one...with brainy art student Maya (Amber Stevens) who brings him more trouble than expected.

And it's to Lord and Miller's credit, along with the trio of screenwriters, that for all the intentional riffs on what came before, there is still plenty left to be discovered. So yes, we get the token "bad drug trip" scene, which is still pretty funny when those are usually phoned in, and the plenty of Michael Bay-inspired action sequences. But we also get a lot more of Ice Cube as Dickson is woven into the plot in a way that powers the humor for the entire second half. There are so many jokes that a second or third viewing will be necessary to catch them all and even then it may not be enough.

Say what you want about Channing Tatum but he'll do literally anything he's asked to do comedically. While he still has great chemistry with Hill, who continue to seem like the bestest buds ever, Tatum shoulders much of the physical and emotional burden here. We've seen this same "falling for a girl out of his league" storyline for Schmidt before, but Jenko is finally in a place where he is truly comfortable and not a fish out of water. It causes some interesting friction between the two partners that is played up nicely for a while, but then becomes just an endless stream of tiresome homoerotic jokes. With all of the trouble Hill has had with the LGBT community lately the frequent use of gay humor seems misplaced, and certainly isn't edgy. More than just Hill, Tatum, and Cube get in on the fun. The supporting cast never lets us down, and we may be looking at a Rebel Wilson-style breakout from Workaholicsstar Jillian Bell as Maya's grumpy roommate.

You'll want to stick around throughout the awesome credits teasing an increasingly ridiculous string of sequels (2121 Jump Street? It's a thing.) that you'll really want to see happen. Whether Jenko and Schmidt eventually head to 23 Jump Street (hey, it's right next door!) we'll find out soon enough, but for now 22 Jump Street is a sequel that lives up to an incredibly high standard.

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Check Out 'The Lego Movie' Blu-Ray Short Film 'History Cops'

Is there anything Phil Lord and Chris Miller have gotten wrong yet in their careers? Ever move they've made has been golden, and this year promises to be their best yet. This weekend will see the release of 22 Jump Street, which is looking like it may surpass the original hit film at the box office and in critical response. But they've already done pretty well for themselves with The Lego Movie, which came out of nowhere, racked up $460M, and is considered by many to be the animated jewel of 2014.

While they won't be directing the sequel, handing the reins over to Chris McKay, a special feature from The Lego Movie's upcoming Blu-Ray serves as a reminder of why that film was so beloved. Lord and Miller wrote and directed this faux-trailer for Michaelangelo and Lincoln: History Cops, with Will Forte reprising the voice of Lincoln. It's pretty funny, and one more reason to pick up The Lego Movie when it hits shelves June 17th.

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Channing Tatum Goes to Work in New '22 Jump Street' Red Band Trailer

"Why every time you speak I want to throw the fuck up"? With less than a week until Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and scene-stealer Ice Cube return for 22 Jump Street, Sony Pictures has released a new red band trailer as a reminder of how raunchy and vulgar the film will get. That's something which may have been lost a little bit in the first film; that for all the stupid sophomoric jokes it went pretty far out there and earned its R-rating. Clearly this one will too as the sex, F-bombs, and violence pile up during the duo's investigation of a drug ring on a college campus.

Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller with Peter Stormare, Dave Franco, and Nick Offerman co-starring, 22 Jump Street opens June 13th.


22 Jump Street International - Red Band SPOT (2014) - Jonah Hill Movie HD by MovieClips Trailers

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Peyton Reed and David Wain Contenders to Direct 'Ant-Man'; Michael Douglas Expresses Disappointment

As I noted in a recent episode of Cinema Royale, Marvel is really scraping the bottom of the barrel to find someone to direct Ant-Man, and it's looking more like a project that doesn't need to happen. Edgar Wright spent eight years developing and putting his own spin on it, and without him there can only be issues which may explain why Adam McKay, Ruben Fleischer, and Rawson Thurber decided to pass. Too much has gone into it for Ant-Man to be shelved or anything like that, and so a couple more names have emerged as contenders to take over.

Peyton Reed, who directed Bring It On and The Break-Up, is apparently the "frontrunner" for the job, but as we've seen before that status doesn't mean a heck of a lot. He hasn't directed anything since 2008's Jim Carrey comedy, Yes Man, which I'm betting you already forgot existed. Also in the mix is Wet Hot American Summer and Role Models helmer, David Wain, although one hopes he'll be too busy with a 'Wet Hot' series on Netflix.

As Marvel scrambles, what seems to be lost in the discussion is the effect this is having on the cast. Michael Douglas, who is set to play Hank Pym, revealed to Schmoes Know that he's "very disappointed" by the turn of events. He went to add that Wright's departure “happened very late in the game [and] I don’t think anybody’s quite recovered.  My heart goes out to Edgar. He’s been involved with the project for a long time, but he’s talented enough that you’ll be hearing a whole lot from him, and I’m sure with a little vengeance.”

If vengeance is really on Wright's mind then it's even less likely he'll take on Disney's remake of The Night Stalker. Oh, and last but not least, 22 Jump Street directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller told MTV they wouldn't direct Ant-Man. Not only that, but they think Marvel should just "abandon ship" on it completely. Ouch.  [TheWrap/THR]

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New International '22 Jump Street' Trailer Starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum

Before Channing Tatum puts on his guy-liner and attempts to save the galaxy in Jupiter Ascending, he'll party like a rock star with his pal Jonah Hill in 22 Jump Street. A new international trailer for the buddy cop sequel has been released, and it again puts bumbling cops Jenko and Schmidt undercover to bust a drug ring. The only difference is now they've moved up to college where they get a taste of the frat party, spring break lifestyle they missed out on before. There isn't a ton of new footage here but there's every indication this will be as funny as 21 Jump Street was.

Co-starring Ice Cube and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, 22 Jump Street opens June 13th.


22 Jump Street International Trailer - Trailer Addict by Trailer-Addict

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'22 Jump Street' Hits the Streets with a Final Red Band Trailer

After releasing the first clip from 22 Jump Street just hours ago, Sony has decided to top it off with the final red band trailer. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are back as keystone coppers, Jenko and Schmidt, who have been ordered by their boss (Ice Cube) to infiltrate a college and bust up a drug ring. There isn't much that has changed, although as the trailer shows, their friendship is going through another rough patch. The only things that can fix it? Wild parties, wildly inappropriate behavior, and lots of gunplay as they plunge into the college experience they never had before.

Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, 22 Jump Street opens June 13th.

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First '22 Jump Street' Clip Goes Deep Cover

At this point, Phil Lord and Chris Miller can do no wrong. Everything they've touched has turned to $200M gold, and if they had chosen to direct Ghostbusters 3 that probably would have, too. Perhaps the most impressive win in their incredible run was spinning gold out of 21 Jump Street, a relic of the '80s nobody was anxious to see return. But the buddy comedy was a hit and one of the year's funniest films, and now the bumbling cops return in 22 Jump Street.

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are back as Jenko and Schmidt, who continue to flounder their way into big cases. This time they're moving on up to college to break up a drug ring, and in this first clip we see them going deep undercover as Latino gangbangers, with hilariously awful results.

22 Jump Street opens June 13th. [MTV]

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Phil Lord and Chris Miller Turn Down 'Ghostbusters 3'

There isn't much reason to get excited about Ghostbusters 3, but a small glimmer of promise peeked through when reports surfaced Phil Lord and Chris Miller were being sought for the directing job. The duo had already brought new life to another '80s property in 21 Jump Street, and combined with their success on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and The Lego Movie it just seemed like a fit that could work.

Well, it may have seemed like the right fit on paper, but Lord and Miller must think otherwise, because Jeff Sneider at The Wrap says they've turned it down and other directors are being looked at...

Hearing LORD & MILLER ended up walking away from GHOSTBUSTERS 3 job. They were the studio's choice but wanted to keep their options open...
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) April 7, 2014

But, Sneider also leaves the door open for a return. The duo did initially turn down The Lego Movie before coming back to the bargaining table. With no further details we won't know the reasons they bailed. It could be as simple as wanting to move away from established properties for once and do something original. 

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Phil Lord and Chris Miller Reportedly in Talks to Direct 'Ghostbusters 3'

Here's a fun fact about directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller: All of their movies have grossed north of $200M. Those are numbers any studio can get behind, and with the duo's ability to enliven old properties such as 21 Jump Street, or add a dose of creative energy to The Lego Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, it's no wonder they're the most sought-after duo in Hollywood. It also explains why Sony could be calling them to direct Ghostbusters 3.

Nikki Finke says Lord and Miller are in talks to replace Ivan Reitman on Ghostbusters 3 after he exited the project. The film has been in the works seemingly forever with an army of screenwriters trying to make it work. Every few weeks Dan Akroyd rears his head to say how good the latest draft is (he and Etan Cohen wrote the most recent one), only to have it go back to the drawing board practically the next day. The current plan is for filming to begin early next year.

Sony knows what they have in Lord and Miller, having worked with them on 21 Jump Street and the sequel, 22 Jump Street. They may be inclined to just dump the current script entirely, which is said to focus on a new team of young Ghostbusters, and let them pen a new draft. That would be the smart way to go if this is going to happen at all, but as we've seen plenty of times before, Ghostbusters 3 has a way of finding new obstacles to overcome.

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Chris McKay will Direct 'The LEGO Movie 2'; Story Could Center on Ninjago

Warner Bros. wasted no time putting together the building blocks for a sequel to The LEGO Movie, no surprise considering the $360M worth of damage it's done at the box office. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were obviously wanted back to direct, but given their past history it seemed more likely they'd slip into producer roles, and that's exactly what has happened. Fortunately, Deadline is reporting that Chris McKay, a key figure in the last film's success, is the guy to direct The LEGO Movie 2.

In McKay's role as animation director he was largely responsible for giving the film its unique, blocky look. He comes with a wealth of experience having worked on Robot Chicken for years, as well as directing Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III. He's also currently on the shortlist to direct a Masters of the Universe film, but that may no longer be the case. Michelle Morgan and Jared Stern are penning the screenplay, and right now it's unclear where the story could go. Apparently it could be either "a straight sequel or a film that broadens the LEGO empire by focusing on the character Ninjago."

This puts Warner Bros. in an interesting position, because they only have the rights for one LEGO sequel, and they've been looking to branch out from the LEGO franchise with a solo Ninjago film. They even tapped Charlie Bean (Tron: Uprising) to direct it. If they meld that idea into a proper LEGO sequel, does that mean they'd look to spinoff a different character?

The LEGO Movie 2 is set to open May 26th 2017.

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New Footage in the Latest '22 Jump Street' Trailer

Phil Lord and Chris Miller are currently on top of the world with The LEGO Movie selling out everywhere and selling lots and lots of toys. But the directing duo have another comedy on the way targeted at a different audience who are sure to turn out in droves. A new green band trailer has been released for 22 Jump Street, the sequel to the $200M-grossing 21 Jump Street starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.There's new footage to be found and a greater emphasis on action, plus a bit more of Ice Cube who seems to have a larger (and less angry) role this time.

Co-starring Nick Offerman, Craig Roberts, and Amber Stevens, 22 Jump Street opens on June 13th 2014. Check out the trailer and full synopsis below.


22 Jump Street (2014) - Trailer #2 Alternate Ending [VO-HD] by Eklecty-City.fr

PLOT: After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) when they go deep undercover at a local college. But when Jenko meets a kindred spirit on the football team, and Schmidt infiltrates the bohemian art major scene, they begin to question their partnership. Now they don’t have to just crack the case – they have to figure out if they can have a mature relationship. If these two overgrown adolescents can grow from freshmen into real men, college might be the best thing that ever happened to them.

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'The LEGO Movie' Blooper Reel is as Awesome as the Movie

So The LEGO Movie opened to $69M last weekend and everybody who doesn't have a massive stick up their butt seems to love it. Chances are it will be sticking around for a long time, especially with Warner Bros. readying a sequel, and the fun keeps on going with a hilarious "Blooper Reel" of outtakes. The best part? Even more awesome quotes from Will Arnett's Batman. More LEGO please.

The LEGO Movie is in theaters now and it's basically your best escape from what has been an awful start to the cinematic season.

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Review: 'The Lego Movie' Starring Chris Pratt, Morgan Freeman, and Will Ferrell

What's so special about The LEGO Movie? It's just another movie based on a toy designed to move units at Wal-Mart or something, right? What makes it any different or better than G.I. Joe? Or Transformers? True enough that there may be a few more LEGO Bat-Wings flying off the shelves in the coming weeks, but it's only because The LEGO Movie taps into the childlike imagination and awe that LEGO was always meant to inspire. By embracing the potential in literally building untold worlds where characters from other universes can interact in one epic adventure, the film captures the magic of diving into the toy box and letting your imagination run wild with possibility.

Hilarious and insanely packed with vivid, ever-moving parts done in the classic LEGO style, the film benefits from the presence of co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, whose Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs boasted similar visual wonders. But it's the intelligence and humor in their script that forms the firmest of building blocks, appealing to kids and nostalgic adults alike. We're introduced to Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt), a normal everyday LEGO builder who is willfully, wholeheartedly part of the generic machine. As part of a massive team he keeps this LEGO city awash in new, unimpressive buildings; bops to the bland but maddeningly infectious pop song "Everything is Awesome" (you'll never get it out of your head!), and wants nothing more than to be a part of the crowd. But Emmett is nobody, a total "blank slate" with so little personality that few even know he exists.

That changes when he stumbles upon the Piece of Resistance, an all-powerful object that could prevent the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) from destroying everything with his super weapon, the Kragl (one of many plays on words better seen than explained). Discovered by the rebellious and sexy Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Emmett is transported beyond his home realm and into a number of colorful universes that will make great toy sets in the future...if they aren't already. The god-like Vitruvius (voiced by Morgan Freeman, naturally) believes Emmet is a Master Builder; a chosen one who can put an end to Lord Business' reign of terror. But first Emmet, who has never had an original thought in his head, must learn to put his fears aside and prove he can be the hero the universe demands him to be. Joining him on the journey are literally dozens of pop culture icons, and it's safe to say this is the one place where you can see Batman (Will Arnett), Superman (Channing Tatum) and the Ninja Turtles fighting side-by-side with Shaquille O'Neal, Gandalf, and Dumbledore. Even if the threadbare plot is merely an excuse to put all of these characters together, it's so cool that it doesn't really matter.

The introductory scenes zip along at a rapid pace but it picks up into a full-on sprint once the adventure begins, to the point where it's tough to keep track of what is going on. Animated with digital/stop-motion brilliance by Animal Logic, each frame is constantly buzzing with hundreds of characters at once, and they all seem to be doing something you want to pay attention to. It gets a little overwhelming, but it's nothing a second viewing won't cure. And you will definitely want to see The LEGO movie at least one more time in order to take in the massively detailed world and catch every single sight gag. It's refreshing to see a film like this that seems like it can go absolutely anywhere and have literally anything happen, depending solely on the creativity and imagination of the filmmakers. And through it all, the film manages to be a surprisingly effective, even emotional story about embracing one's uniqueness.

Problems only arise when the film gets away from the LEGO universe to impart some labored wisdom in a Meta context that just feels jarring. If the point is that toys are meant to be played with rather than locked away (or heaven forbid, kept in their original packaging), then the rest of the film makes that point abundantly clear just as the Toy Story movies do. The final act reveal doesn't quite work, even though it makes perfect sense, because it sacrifices fun for a message we don't need hammered home.

The LEGO Movie has clicked into place the building blocks for a new, wholly imaginative franchise that can appeal to audiences of any age, and has no limits on where it can go next.

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Possible "Masters of the Universe' Directors Includes Rian Johnson and Joe Cornish

Michael Bay's Transformers movies have earned well over $2B at the box office, and the G.I. Joe films haven't done too shabby, either. So of course it makes sense that another popular 1980s toy property like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe would be a top studio priority. Jon Chu had been attached to direct a feature film for quite awhile before dropping out to focus on G.I. Joe 3, but now an even more interesting crop of directors have emerged as candidates.

According to the guys at Schmoes Know, that shortlist of directors includes Rian Johnson (Looper), Joe Cornish (Attack the Block), Andy Muschietti (Mama), Kirk DeMicco & Chris Sanders (The Croods) and Phil Lord and Chris Miller of 21 Jump Street fame. Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean) is writing the script, and production is said to be "close to happening", although with a list this of directors this long that doesn't seem to be the case.

Obviously Johnson and Cornish are the two pearls here, and bring a sci-fi/fantasy background that should mesh well with Masters of the Universe. Although considering what Lord and Miller have been able to do with The Lego Movie, perhaps they've got an edge? Maybe they can scrap the whole live-action thing and do it all with action figures?

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New International Trailer For 'The Lego Movie' Is Shorter, Still Awesome

I'm just going to come right out and say it, The Lego Movie looks pretty awesome, and this comes from someone who never played with toys and has largely avoid all of the other Lego films. It just looks like someone dove into a toy box, pulled all of their favorite comic books off the shelf, and put all of their childhood favorites in one gigantic, imaginative adventure. After last night's domestic trailer, a new international version has been released which is noticeably shorter, but still finds room to add a couple of new scenes. 

Chris Pratt voices Emmet, a normal everyday Lego who is mistaken for an extraordinary Master Builder, and gets drafted into a dangerous mission to thwart President Business, voiced by Will Ferrell. It's probably the only chance you'll ever have to see Will Arnett as Batman, as he voices the Dark Knight; Morgan Freeman is an old mystic; Nick Offerman is a revenge-obsessed pirate; and the rest of the voice cast is filled out by Liam Neeson, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie, and Charlie Day.

Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, The Lego Movie assembles on February 7th 2014.

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Batman and Superman In the First Trailer for 'The Lego Movie'

There have been nearly two dozen movies based on the Lego toys up to this point, from their Bionicle series to Lego: Star Wars to various others usually released straight-to-DVD. So what is it about The Lego Movie that makes it any different? Well, it does have the 21 Jump Street duo of Chris Miller and Phil Lord directing, and the voice cast includes Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, and Charlie Day. So there's an incredible level of talent involved, and even if all it ultimately does is make Lego a cool Christmas gift again, the first trailer is mighty impressive.

Combining the might of the Justice League, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, NBA All-Stars, and Star Wars characters in a story clearly inspired by The Lord of the Rings, the film looks like loads of fun for kids and immature adults alike. The story centers on a regular Lego who is mistaken for someone extraordinary, and charged with saving the world from an evil tyrant.

The Lego Movie assembles on February 7th 2014.


The Lego movie by Teaser-Trailer.com

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Will Arnett and Channing Tatum may voice Batman and Superman in 'LEGO: The Piece of Resistance'

What's with all the hate towards the Lego™ film, anyway?  I've been guilty of it, pretty much dubbing the toy-based film an awful idea from the beginning. But why? We see movies about toys come to life all the time, and while they aren't always gems, some have proven to be quite good. Toy Story, anyone?  How about The Indian in the Cupboard?  With Phil Lord and Chris Miller(Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) directing(along with animator Chris McKay), there's a pretty good chance this could be fun, and based on today's news it might even be awesome.

This is a Warner Brothers movie, and since they have access to the entire DC Comics library of characters, it only makes sense to use them as much as possible. So it's pretty awesome to learn that Batman and Superman will be two of the Lego characters present in Lego: The Piece of Resistance. Even better? Batman may be voiced by Will Arnett, with Channing Tatum as Superman. Sold. Arnett seems to be all but locked up, but Tatum's schedule will need to free up if he's going to be involved. Chris Pratt(Parks and Recreation) is set to voice the lead character, a regular Lego figure named Emmett. Tatum worked with Lord and Miller on 21 Jump Street, and we all know how that worked out.

The story sounds pretty darn cool, as well. When Emmett is mistaken for being a Master Builder Lego, he gets drafted into a fellowship on a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the universe together. Ok, that's kinda tight, you must admit. Could we be looking at a Lego Lord of the Rings with an all superhero-type cast? It's possible Batman and Superman may only be around for a brief cameo, but would they bother reaching out to Tatum in that case? Probably not. So I'm hoping that they're just the first of many recognizable heroes as part of the team.

Lego: The Piece of Resistance is due to open on February 8th 2014. [Variety]

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'21 Jump Street' directors in talks for 'Carter Beats The Devil'

Phil Lord and Chris Miller are kind of a big deal right now. The directing duo made a splash with the animated Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, but proved themselves more than just a one-trick pony by scoring one of the year's biggest hits in 21 Jump Street. For their next trick, they'll tackle a film that's been in the works for years, and once had Tom Cruise circling the lead role.

They're now in talks to direct Carter Beats the Devil, based on a completely fictional adventure story about real life magician, Charles Carter aka Carter the Great. The film is based on the book by Glen David Gold, which combines historical pieces of truth surrounding the 1920s entertainer but spins them off into a wild story involving the death of President Warren G. Harding. Other notable figures appear in the book, including the Marx Brothers and Harry Houdini. Think Sherlock Holmes meets National Treasure and you've got a pretty good idea of the book's vibe.

The question now is whether or not this will actually happen. It's been a decade of trying to get this project off the ground in various forms, including a failed TV series, and nothing has happened yet. Miller and Lord will be tied up for awhile, producing the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs sequel, and developing their big screen LEGO™ movie, due out in 2014. [THR]

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