Hill's A Bit Jumpy

The folks over at Dark Horizons spoke with actor Jonah Hill--who's out doing promotions for Judd Apatow’s July 31st flick "Funny People" During the chat, the subject of the film version of classic 80's TV series "21 Jump Street" came up.

Question: Are you the Johnny Depp role in that?

Hill: No. There is no – like, it’s not like we’re basing them on the actual people. I’m not Johnny Depp, as – but I read an interview recently that Johnny said he wanted to do the cameo that we had written for him, on MTV

Question: Oh, cool. Is it a parody?

Hill: No, it’s not like a spoof movie or a parody. It’s just – what I connected with is, they – Sony asked me if I would be interested in adapting it for them. And I thought, like, “Why are they asking me? Why?” It really didn't make much sense to me. Then I watched all the shows, and what I really connected with was the second chance. The chance of going to high school again. And it was almost like that Back to the Future of like, what if you could re-live your high school years? You know, what would you end up doing? And – basically, the story is about two cops who get reassigned to this unit that infiltrates drug dealers in high schools, because they look young and are able to fit in in high school, and go undercover. The way I describe it is, it’s not a parody at all. It’s – the way I thought of it and pitched it was sort of Bad Boys meets a John Hughes movie. So it’s like, a really authentic high school movie, with really great action.

Question: Are you using some of your own comedic sensibilities to it?

Hill: Yeah. It’s very – I mean, it’s a comedy as well, you know? But Bad Boys, I look at as an action comedy, you know? And John Hughes movies are really funny to me, and poignant. So, the goal would be to make a really great high school movie, and a really great action movie, and smush them together.

Question: How close are you at finishing that?

Hill: We’re going to hire a director. That’s our next step.

Question: Are you producing on this?

Hill: I’m executive producer, yeah

Hmm...Bad Boys meets The Breakfast Club--Not quite the mix you'd expect but OK....

Hill also talks about his directorial debut....