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Kevin Hart Teams Up with Netflix for New Comedy ’72 Hours’
Kevin Hart continues to solidify his partnership with Netflix as they embark on an exciting new venture, the comedy film 72 Hours, directed by Ride Along’s Tim Story. This film marks a reunion for Hart and Story, who previously collaborated on the successful Ride Along series. The production will be managed by Hartbeat, Hart’s global entertainment company, alongside Counterbalance, with Will Packer also on board, known for his work alongside Hart in productions like the 2019 film Night School.
The screenplay for 72 Hours is crafted by Matt Mider & Kevin Burrows and Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg, who originally wrote it ten years ago. As revealed by Deadline, the storyline follows a 40-year-old executive eager to revitalize his career by mingling with a group of twenty-somethings. His journey takes an amusing turn when he gets added to their group chat and is drawn into a three-day bachelor party adventure. Ross Fanger, well-known for his extensive production management experience on films like Planet of the Apes (2001) and The Grey (2011), will serve as executive producer. Notably, 72 Hours is being developed under Netflix’s ongoing collaboration with Sony Pictures, which began in 2021, ensuring that Netflix has first dibs on new projects the studio plans for streaming.
Kevin Hart’s involvement has undoubtedly generated renewed interest in the project. Since the conception of the script by Hurwitz and Schlossberg, Davis Entertainment has been instrumental in its development. With Hart’s star power attached, Netflix has prioritized the film, which is part of Hart’s ambition to deliver innovative comedic content to the platform. Other upcoming projects include Lift, which revolves around a heist for $500 million in gold, and comedic showcases like The Roast of Tom Brady and the special Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only.
‘Ride Along’ Tripled Its Budget at the Box Office
Tim Story’s prior experience with actors Ice Cube and Kevin Hart made him a perfect fit to direct Ride Along, which built on his existing rapport with both stars. Before tackling the buddy cop comedy in 2014, Story directed Ice Cube’s Barbershop (2005) and worked with Hart on Think Like A Man (2012), produced by Will Packer based on Steve Harvey’s book, “Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man.”
Ride Along, which premiered on January 17, 2014, was made on a budget of $25 million but earned a remarkable $154 million globally. It set a record for the highest domestic opening weekend in January with approximately $41 million during its three-day launch and maintained the No. 1 spot at the U.S. box office for three consecutive weeks.
Reflecting on the comedic highlights of Ride Along, Hart told Collider: “There are so many laugh-out-loud moments in the movie. My favorite has to be the warehouse, where I slapped Cube and stuck him with a knife. Those were some long days, but that moment was priceless, and we were really laughing out loud during that take.”
Source: Deadline
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