Harold and Kumar are gearing up for another burger-munching, joint-smoking adventure, and this time, they're bringing back the laughs with a twist. Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald, the masterminds behind the global Netflix phenomenon "Cobra Kai," have inked a deal to pen a fresh chapter in the beloved buddy stoner comedy franchise "Harold & Kumar," which captivated audiences in the early 2000s.
Hurwitz and Schlossberg will also take the director's chair for this feature, currently in development under Mandate Pictures, a Lionsgate subsidiary. This marks a full-circle triumph for the duo, whose Hollywood journey skyrocketed after penning the original 2004 film "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and making their directorial debut with 2008's "Harold & Kumar Escape Guantanamo Bay."
John Cho and Kal Penn, who immortalized the title roles, are rumored to reprise their iconic characters, albeit no official agreements have been reached with the actors just yet. Neil Patrick Harris, another pivotal member of the ensemble, remains a wildcard as his participation in the project remains uncertain.
Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald will serve as producers under their Counterbalance Entertainment banner, joined by Greg Shapiro, the Oscar-winning producer of "The Hurt Locker" who also helmed the original films. Mandate, which produced the initial trilogy, will once again lend its expertise to the production. This movie will stand as one of the inaugural projects produced by Nathan Kahane, the outgoing president of Lionsgate's motion picture group who will transition back to Mandate as a producer at the end of the year.
Get ready for another wild ride with Harold and Kumar, as they bring their unique brand of humor back to the big screen!
Dina Hillier will serve as the executive producer for Counterbalance. The original "Harold & Kumar," helmed by Danny Leiner, chronicles the escapades of two young men: Korean American Harold Lee and Indian American Kumar Patel. Embarking on a road trip to indulge their munchies at the Northeast's iconic White Castle burger joint after partaking in some weed, they find themselves miles away from their destination and plunged into a series of increasingly surreal adventures. These include being apprehended by racist policemen, getting blazed with a cheetah, and picking up a hitchhiker who happens to be none other than the famous TV actor Neil Patrick Harris, high on ecstasy.
"White Castle" proved to be a potent blend, mixing stoner and sex comedy elements with the inversion of stereotypes, timely social and political issues, and showcasing actors who weren't typically in the spotlight. The film enjoyed a lucrative theatrical run and gained cult status in home entertainment. It was followed by "Guantanamo" and 2011's "A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas," directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson. All three films were produced by Warner Bros.' division, New Line Cinema.
"We're thrilled to bring Harold and Kumar back to the unapologetically R-rated, smoke-filled chaos that ignited their journey," Hurwitz and Schlossberg stated jointly. "It's high time they passed their wisdom along to a new generation. Just keep it under wraps from their kids."
Both Cho and Penn have seen their careers skyrocket since the first film. Cho went on to portray Sulu in the "Star Trek" reboot and received an Indie Spirit Award nomination for his role in the 2018 thriller "Searching." Penn starred in the long-running medical mystery series "House" and later served as an associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement during the Obama administration.
Meanwhile, Hurwitz and Schlossberg embarked on a Hollywood journey almost as wild as Harold & Kumar's. The success of those movies catapulted them into demand for comedies, leading them to write and direct the 2012 "American Pie" sequel "American Reunion" and produce the 2018 comedy "Blockers."
But their partnership with Heald to create, showrun, and executive produce "Cobra Kai" marked an era of unparalleled success. The series, serving as a sequel to the classic "Karate Kid" movies, became a generational hit by blending old characters with new talent and merging comedy with drama, heart, and action. It emerged as one of Netflix's biggest successes worldwide and garnered critical acclaim, with the third season earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series. The show concluded its sixth and final season earlier this year on Netflix, freeing up the power trio to pursue their next endeavor.
Hurwitz, Schlossberg, Heald, and Counterbalance are represented by CAA and Hansen Jacobson.
