Ride Along 3: All You Need to Know About Kevin Hart and Ice Cube’s Return

Credits:- Quantrell Colbert/Universal Studios

It has been a decade since Kevin Hart and Ice Cube appeared as brothers-in-law in the Ride Along franchise. Although Ride Along 3 was announced shortly after the sequel grossed $91 million at the domestic box office (via Box Office Mojo), the movie has remained stuck in development hell ever since. Now, it appears the ball is finally rolling on the long-awaited follow-up, as, according to Deadline, the third movie has reportedly entered early development at Universal.

Writer Daniel Gold, known for his work on Workin’ Moms, has reportedly been tapped to pen the screenplay for the buddy comedy. Moreover, Tim Story, who helmed the first two entries released just two years apart, is said to be in talks to return to the director’s chair for this long-anticipated reunion, which has been years in the making.

When Will Ride Along 3 Release?

While it’s a relief that the project hasn’t been canned after years of delays, even with it now in early development, no release window has been announced, which isn’t surprising.

With Gold still in the midst of penning the screenplay, it may be a while before the original band gets together and the project picks up pace. So don’t expect the movie anytime soon.

Ride Along 3 Cast: Is Ice Cube and Kevin Hart Reuniting?

Ice Cube alongside Kevin Hart in Ride Along 2 | Credit: Universal Pictures

It’s hard to imagine the franchise without the duo at the forefront, and they’ve remained attached to the threequel since its initial announcement back in 2016. However, as Deadline clarified, they are still in talks to reprise their roles, and while it’s highly likely they will return, it will ultimately come down to the story and whether they’re fully on board with it.

As for the rest of the cast, given how early the project remains in development, it appears that no one has been officially attached yet.

What is Ride Along 3 About?

A still from Ride Along 2 | Credit: Universal Pictures

The first Ride Along follows Ice Cube’s James, a hardened Atlanta detective, who takes Hart’s Ben, a fast-talking high school security guard, on a ride-along to scare him off after discovering he’s dating his sister. This ultimately results in the duo getting tangled in chaos as they attempt to take down the elusive criminal mastermind Omar.

As for what to expect from the threequel, considering Gold is seemingly in the midst of penning the script, there’s no way to tell for certain what direction the story will take. However, Cube, in a 2023 interview, stressed that they need to find “the right concept and the right place to take the franchise”, adding (via ET):

So even if fans haven’t watched the previous two entries, it seems fans will be able to jump-in to the the potential threequel without any issues, if the script aligns with Cube’s intent.

Why Did Ride Along 3 Take So Long?

A still from Ride Along 2 | Credit: Universal Pictures

Even though the Ride Along franchise has never been a critical darling, it carved out its own loyal niche thanks to the hilarious chemistry between Ice Cube and Kevin Hart. That appeal is exactly why Universal quickly put the Ride Along threequel into development in October 2016, shortly after Ride Along 2 became another commercial success.

But as it goes, things never really gained momentum. While it can be argued that finding the right story and concept to bring these characters back on track has been a major factor behind this delay, scheduling conflict is undoubtedly the biggest reason why the threequel has been sitting idle.

Both Cube and Tim Story weighed in on the struggle to get everyone involved on the right mark, particularly Hart, who seems to be always occupied. Story noted (via Insider):

Cube also shared similar sentiments, stressing:

Given that mid-budget comedies have started to become more prevalent compared to pre-COVID, which was largely dominated by IP-driven entries, it’s the perfect window to get a buddy comedy with these fan-favorites moving. Combined with fans’ nostalgia for the first two movies, if the movie delivers, this could be a repeat of Bad Boys 4‘s success.

Are you excited for another Ride Along with Hart and Cube? Share your thoughts below!

No release window for the Ride Along 3 has been unveiled.

Ride Along 1 and 2 are available to rent on Apple TV (USA).