mrpayroll

http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/artic...06/story.jhtml

03.14.2006 8:58 AM EST

'Welcome Back, Ice Cube' — Rapper Taking On 'Kotter' Role
Actor/rapper will also produce the big-screen adaptation of 1970s sitcom.


Ice Cube

Ice Cube is not ashamed to admit that when it comes to "Welcome Back, Kotter," the 1970s series that helped launch John Travolta's acting career, there "was no bigger fan than me." And Cube is thrilled about his latest role — as the lead in Hollywood's big-screen adaptation of the sitcom classic.

According to Variety, Ice Cube has signed on to both star in and produce "Welcome Back, Kotter," and the rapper's "very excited to be able to put a new twist on it." The rapper/actor — who executive produces the FX reality series "Black. White." — has inked a deal with Dimension Films, the company that will be releasing "Kotter." Production is expected to begin this fall with Tom Brady ("The Hot Chick," "The Animal") in final negotiations to direct and write the script.

Cube will assume the role of a wisecracking teacher who returns to the rough inner-city high school from which he graduated. There he encounters the next generation of unruly, underprivileged troublemakers — who are as apathetic about education as he once was.

In the original series, Mr. Kotter was played by Gabe Kaplan. Travolta played Vinnie Barbarino, a scatterbrained himbo and the unofficial leader of a gang of students nicknamed the "Sweathogs."

Cube will be heading to Vancouver in June to start production on "Are We Done Yet?" the sequel to 2005's "Are We There Yet?" The film remakes the 1948 classic "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," a Cary Grant comedy about a family that leaves the big city for a fixer-upper in the suburbs only to watch their investment turn from a dream to a nightmare.

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, interviews, trailers and more.

— Chris Harris


Chris (not Chris Harris)

Mr. Cinema

Let's hope this is as good as the last Urban twist on old white tv show, "The Honeymooners."

RocShemp

I like Ice Cube but I'm not looking forward to this. If he was such a huge fan, why the need to alter it?

raven56706

All in the Family starring Bernie Mac


The Jeffersons starring Joe Pesci...

Brain Stew

I wasn't against The Honeymooners remake, but a large part of Kotter was Kotter's Judaism and old timey Catskill-esque jokes.

Nesbit

Maybe they can get Jaleel White to play Horseshack. Then the circle will be complete and he can retire.

raven56706

Good Times starring Luke Wilson and Will Farrell

Sanford and Son starring Al Pacino and Owen Wilson


A Different World starring the entire cast of Laguna Beach

Charlie Goose

Instead of telling wife Julie those dry jokes at the beginning of each episode, Cube can play the dozens.
"Julie, yo' momma's hair is so nappy she has to take a painkiller just to use her afro-pick."

Next up: Gilligan's Island with Marlon Wayans as Gilligan and Tiny Lister as the Skipper.

RocShemp

Who's the Boss with Samuel Jackson, Angela Basset, and Christina Milian. Actually, I might actually watch that.

Mondo Kane

"Kung Fu" starring a white guy. Oh wait..

devilshalo

I'd rather see the original gang in a 30th high school reunion. Where everyone graduated to where they are in real life today. That would be hilarious.

Kotter = Poker Stars champ
Barbarino = Famous Actor
Washington = drug addict
Horeshack = failed sitcom actor
Epstein = I dunno what he does today... maybe make him teaching the same class Kotter did..

RocShemp

Honestly, if Ice Cube insists on starring in this, why not have him as Washington and someone else (Mel Brooks?) as Kotter? Better yet, have Steve Martin as Kotter. I think he needs to do at least three crappy films in a row before he can be alowed to make another good movie.

Fielding Mellish

Or, Roc, if he insists on going through with it...

who will Mr. Cube cast as Freddie "Mayonnaise" Washington?

LorenzoL

I don't see anything good coming out of this project.

RocShemp

Obviously Washington will be white in this remake. But what of Epstein? How do you rework the ethnicity of a Puertorican Jew?

Sunday Morning

Ugh. Part of the show's charm was seeing a wacky jewish guy in a tough brooklyn school and letting the sparks fly... Rap stars suck.

mikewendt

COMING SOON...

Full House... Party!

Staring: Kid n' Play & the Oscar Winning, Three 6 Mafia!


COME ON! You can see it...

RocShemp

I was trying to think of a Full House remake worthy of this thread but you certainly nailed it, mikewendt. I can already imaging the "Academy Award Winning" title on the posters and trailers preceding the mention of Three 6 Mafia.

lamphorn

This movie will be horrible. It will tank and make no money. And the film industry will scratch their heads about why people aren't buying tickets.
Lucas said something pretty interesting when he mentioned that the era of sequels and horrible 200 million-dollar sfx movies is over because they're not profitable anymore. These piece of shit remakes of t.v. shows are failures across the board. Not one good or profitable one has been made. I can't get why they keep doing it except that the execs truly feel they can keep their jobs for a few more months by greenlighting this crap.

raven56706

Doogie Howser starring Urkel....

tdilia

Crap,Crap,Crap,Crap,Crap,Crap, Craparino.

devilshalo

$180 M

$215 M

???

RocShemp

Yeah but M:I had the Briand DePalma and Tom Cruise factor (and was the film in this series that had fans hoping for something true to the TV show). Then M:I-2, although it sucked, once again drew in Tom Cruise fans and drew in John Woo Fans as well. Plus, plenty of women had a thing for Dougray Scott thanks to Ever After. M:I:III will once again draw in Tom Cruise fans and will now draw in fans of J.J. Abrams and Philip Seymor Hoffman. You can hardly say that the TV show is the reason the previous two films were successful (and the potentially the third might be too).

devilshalo

$153 M

Damfino

I see Razzie awards!