MOVIE NEWS – Fans have been waiting for years to see a third 21 Jump Street movie, but Channing Tatum has now clarified why it hasn’t happened yet. According to the actor, the problem isn’t creativity but money — specifically, sky-high producer fees that have made the project financially unfeasible. Tatum admitted that every attempt to revive the film has collapsed under its own weight.

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill’s 21 Jump Street reboot in 2012 was an unexpected success, reinventing the classic TV show with self-aware humor and explosive action. Its 2014 follow-up, 22 Jump Street, performed even better, but fans have been left in limbo ever since. Speaking to Variety, Tatum confessed: “I get asked more about Jump Street 3 than any other movie I’ve ever done.”

He explained that the biggest obstacle is the budget. Although he, Jonah Hill, and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have all agreed to take pay cuts, producer Neal H. Moritz remains the issue. “I don’t think it’ll ever happen,” Tatum admitted. “The overhead is insane. The producers’ fees alone would cost as much as the actual film. It’s just too top-heavy. Neal’s fee is massive. Honestly, that’s what’s killing it.”

Why 23 Jump Street Never Happened

Neal H. Moritz is a powerhouse producer known for Fast & Furious, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Sonic the Hedgehog. As the founder of Original Films, he’s long worked with Seth Rogen and other major names. However, his commanding salary has reportedly made Jump Street 3 financially impossible, especially at a time when theatrical comedies struggle to find box office success.

That’s a shame, considering the first two films’ performances — 21 Jump Street grossed $201 million and 22 Jump Street pulled in $331 million globally. Sony had even planned an ambitious crossover called MiB 23, which would have merged the Men in Black and Jump Street universes. Tatum called the script “the best I’ve ever read for a third movie.” But after that project fell apart, Sony shifted focus to spin-offs, including a female-led film written by Wendy and Lizzie Molyneux, and a potential Brie Larson spinoff — both of which have since gone silent.

For now, Jump Street remains trapped in development hell. Unless the producers can reach a financial agreement, fans may never see Jenko and Schmidt return to action.

Source: MovieWeb