Ice Cube will headline Humbug, a Christmas Carol retelling to be directed by Tim Story
Universal Pictures is set to reteam with Ice Cube for a just-acquired spec script titled Humbug. Deadline has the news, reporting that the project, a retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, hails from screenwriters Todd R. Jones and Earl Ritchey Jones. Humbug was initially acquired by Relativity Media prior to its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year.
A contemporary update of the Dickens classic, Humbug will see Cube star as the Ebeneezer Scrooge character who, in this version, is a successful real estate mogul. Of course, he’s shown the error of his ways after visits from three different ghosts.
Humbug also has a director attached in Tim Story. Story has worked with Cube quite a few times, including on the first Barbershop and, most recently, on Ride Along. Both of those features have sequels on the way in 2016. Story is once again directing Cube and costar Kevin Hart in Ride Along 2, arriving in theaters January 15. Barbershop 3, meanwhile, has Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man, The Best Man Holiday) attached to helm and Cube reprising his role as Calvin Palmer opposite Queen Latifah, Cedric the Entertainer, Nicki Minaj, Lamorne Morris, Eve, Anthony Anderson and Regina Hall. Look for it to hit the big screen April 15.
According to the trade, Humbug was a highly sought after spec with interest from Walt Disney Pictures, MGM and New Line. It comes on the heels of the massive success of the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton. Produced by Cube and starring his real life son, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. as a young Ice Cube, Straight Outta Compton is in theaters now and, domestically, has already grossed more than $156 million.
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