Canceled "Police Academy" Reboot: Intriguing Behind-the-Scenes Story Revealed

The planned 2010s reboot of the popular 80s comedy film "Police Academy" was canceled, not due to a failed pitch meeting or disagreements with the original creator as previously assumed, but due to societal circumstances. "Funny You Ask with Ike Barinholtz" podcast recounted the story, revealing the show was to be written by Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen, produced by Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key of "Mad TV" fame.

However, the tragic incident of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Black man fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, resulted in national outrage and sparked debates on police use of force. This incident led to the cancelation of the proposed "Police Academy" reboot that was intended to star two Black actors as police officers.

"I don’t even know if he’s still alive, we might have to cut this, but the guy who created the original ‘Police Academy’ came with the deal," Barinholtz confessed, revealing they were instructed to modernize the show, despite resistance from the creator.

Sadly, the project never saw the light of day considering it would have been in poor taste to make a cop comedy amidst a national debate rise on police brutality.

The original "Police Academy" film from 1984, starring Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall, and Bubba Smith, was a box office smash leading to six sequels and a series. Although reboot attempts began as early as 2003, they have continued to encounter roadblocks. Barinholtz is currently featured in "The Studio", while Peele and Key have moved on to other projects.