Ice Cube Heads To ’21 Jump Street’; Shopping Directorial Gig ‘Chrome And Paint’ Around Town

Looks like Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are getting an actor/musician with some serious street cred to join them on “21 Jump Street.” Deadline reports that Ice Cube is in negotiations to join the film, though his role is not yet specified.

The R-rated adaptation features a script by “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” writer Michael Bacall who had previously and excitingly described the pic as “John Hughes meets ‘Bad Boys,’” with “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs” directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord at the helm for the story of “a couple of dudes who haven’t quite worked out their emotional issues with high school, who are returning to high school.” Sounds like a pretty good fit for Ice Cube who could stand to do some quality material after a string of tepid comedies. But he’s also got some loftier ambitions too.

The actor, musician and yes, director (he helmed “The Player’s Club” way back in 1998) is trying to get a sophomore feature off the ground called “Chrome And Paint” that he wrote and would star in. The film delves into the South Central LA “subculture of tricked out Mercedes, BMW and Low Rider cars to frame a drama about the temptation to place materialism above all else.” Ice Cube wants to move fast on this project, looking to set it up for a late summer shoot.

And what about that Dirty Harry-styled franchise he was working on with David O. Russell? That’s still happening, with a writer expected to come aboard to pen the script soon.

Lots of irons in the fire for Ice Cube and they all seem intriguing and quite promising. “21 Jump Street” begins shooting in April and will hit theaters on March 16, 2012.