Ice Cube will be taking the role of Kotter in a filmed version of the tv series Welcome Back, Kotter. However, he’s also producing, a role that according to IMDB he first took in 1995 as Executive Producer of the movie Friday. You know, starring and producing puts Ice Cube in a much stronger position than he would have as a star and he’s been doing both his whole film career!
Welcome Back, Kotter is set to begin production in the fall. Between now and then, Ice Cube will stay busy with a spring tour in anticipation of the June 6th release of his 7th solo album Laugh Now, Cry Later. He’ll then go into summertime production for the sequel to Are We There Yet?, entitled Are We Done Yet?, a remake of Cary Grant’s Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.
I should note that Ice Cube’s remake strategy is a sound one in that even movies that have been remade multiple times usually haven’t been remade with a black man starring in a role originally played by a white man. Plus, the shift in racial identities opens up a wide range of possibilities from simply allowing the differences to happen to heightening the contradictions for extra laughs.
Taken along with the reality show Black. White., Ice Cube is executive producing and acting his way into a unique vantage point from which to discuss race in America. Though it’s easy to dismiss the majority of Ice Cube’s film work as superficial, it’s often through such vehicles that new identities and relationships can be explored in ways that are blocked by more serious discourse.
I salute Cube’s multi-talented efforts and look forward to a return to lyrical form on his latest project.
I hope Cube’s white-to-black remakes are a lot better than The Honeymooners.
I didn’t see The Honeymooners remake. Most of these comedies coming out right now seem like a waste of time. I just report on an occasional deal or two.
Nevertheless, even bad art can be socially productive.