As sick as some people might be of Charles Dickens' the Christmas Carol, havingIce Cubeplay Scrooge might be the defining moment for this often told holiday classic. There is no one more suited for the role, and it might prove to be the best character of his long and storied career as an actor. Universal Pictures picked up the spec script forHumbugin a four-studio bidding war, and Ice Cube is set to headline this Christmascomedy.
Tim Story, who directed Ice Cube in such blockbusterhitsasBarbershopandRide Along, is locked in to helm this contemporary retelling of Charles Dickens' most told tale. In this modern version, Ice Cube will play a wealthy real estate mogul who is, in traditional fashion, shown the errors of his ways by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, leading him on a path to redemption.
MGM, New Line and Disney were all hot to get their hands onHumbug. We’re not sure why Disney wanted the script, it’s only been six years sinceDisney’s a Christmas Carolhit theaters to yawns across America.Jim Carreyplayed Scrooge via Mo-Cap, along with a few other characters, in theRobert Zemeckisdirected CGI animated holiday adventure. The Universal deal landed screenwriters Todd R Jones and Earl Richey Jones a high six figures against a low seven.
Humbugwas originally set up at Relativity, but Todd R Jones and Earl Richey Jones got the script back once the studio filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The UTA agency repackaged the screenplay and took it back out to the studios, where it immediately garnered interest. Ice Cube will pull in an 8 figure salary for the movie once it gets made. He is producing alongside Jeff Kwatinetz.
Todd R Jones and Earl Richey Jones will serve as co-producers. The film is just one of many former Relativity projects that is getting a second chance elsewhere. Other films that have moved include Olympic comedyThe BronzestarringThe Big Bang Theory’sMelissa Rauch, which went to Sony Pictures Classics. AndJane Got a Gun, which is now housed at The Weinstein Company.
Ice Cube andTim Storymost recentlycollaboratedon the comedy sequelRide Along 2, which co-starsKevin Hart. The film will open Martin Luther King weekend 2016.Universal Picturesfound much success in Ice Cube’s summer biopicStraight Outta Compton, and were eager to reunite with the rapper-actor-producer.Humbugis aiming for a 2017 release date, but that is not yet set in stone. Ice Cube has one otherChristmas comedyunder his belt with The Friday After Next.
