As I suspect that most reports of this news will fall on the side of snark with a side of pleading with a holy entity to explain why this is befalling humanity, I have chosen to present this news as straight as possible. Otherwise, I might combust. New Line Cinema has hired a director to reboot the Police Academy franchise, a series of seven films from the 80s and 90s that followed the humorous disasters that befell a group of unsuitable police trainees. Because, obviously, there is nothing funnier than the concept of morons, idiots, and losers serving and protecting their community. The series most notably starred Steve Guttenberg and that one guy who made all those sounds.
The reboot was apparently announced back in February, but it appears that I’ve blocked that memory from my mind, because it was simply too heinous and bizarre to remember. New Line has picked Scott Zabielski to direct what we can only assume is the first film in a new franchise, marking Zabielski’s first foray into feature directing. Zabielski’s primary directing credit is as helmer of fifty-one episodes of Comedy Central’s Tosh.0, a job that apparently proves his ability to direct an offering that is almost totally regurgitated clips and jokes. So, somewhat perfect.
Of course, Zabielski comes with another little something to his name that might offer a strange level of veracity to his take on the epic Police Academy story – he’s a cop, too! Oh, that’s too rich. Actually, Zabielski completed his own training in a police academy (though, one most likely lacking in the Gutt), and is a reserve police officer in West Hollywood. Cute, right?
But that doesn’t answer the primary question at the heart of this reboot – who the hell wants a new Police Academy? [Deadline Moscow, via Cinema Blend]