Phil Lord has finally explained why we jumped directly from 22 Jump Street to 24 Jump Street. And there’s a solid reason.
Twelve years after the release of 22 Jump Street, the franchise led by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum is set to return. An announcement that probably thrilled fans… while also leaving some puzzled. For one thing, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller—the directors of the first two installments—aren’t behind the camera this time, and also because the title of this third film is a bit enigmatic.
Indeed, while fans expected to see a 23 Jump Street appear (as basic math would dictate), Sony went straight to a 24 Jump Street. Is it a wink at the long wait for a sequel? Or another meta gag? The reasoning behind this title is simpler and more concrete, according to Phil Lord. It’s a kind of homage.
They Skipped 23
Asked by Empire, the producer and co‑creator of the franchise explained that this leap in numbering wasn’t merely a joke (as was the case with a certain Brice 3): “In fact, we had developed a 23 Jump Street, and I think it’s simply out of respect for him. We therefore titled this new installment 24 Jump Street, out of respect for the dead,” he replied with a touch of humor.
This statement indeed nods to a real project. Following the success of 22 Jump Street, Sony had considered an improbable crossover between the crime‑fighting comedy and the Men in Black franchise. Dubbed MIB 23, the movie would have brought the two worlds together in one grand adventure. The screenplay even won over Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, before the studio ultimately abandoned the idea. Sony would later relaunch the sci‑fi saga separately with the relatively forgettable Men in Black: International.
The wink is all the more amusing given that 22 Jump Street had already ridiculed sequels to death—even in its end credits—imagining ever more absurd variants and shifting casts from one entry to the next. 24 Jump Street is expected to preserve that same tone and, with the long gap since its predecessor, push the self‑mockery even further. We might even get a nod to the famous MIB 23! Why not?
Despite the absence of Lord and Miller at the helm, the project remains in very capable hands. Rodney Rothman, the writer of 22 Jump Street and co‑director of Spider‑Man: Into the Spider‑Verse, will direct this new installment. He also co‑authors the screenplay with Jonah Hill and Meghan Malloy. And, of course, we’re hoping to see Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and Ice Cube back—each of them currently in talks to reprise their roles.
