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Hulu Drops First “White Men Can’t Jump” Trailer

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White Men Can’t Jump is a classic 90s sports comedy. Woody Harrelson stars as Billy, a streetball hustler who lets his opponents underestimate him because he’s white. He forms an unlikely partnership with Sidney (Wesley Snipes) and the two become a renowned streetball pairing. However, Billy must balance his gambling with his home life. The film did well, finishing as the 16th highest-grossing film of 1992. Furthermore, it holds a 77% critics score and a 68% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Talk of a remake has been around since 2017, with Blake Griffin attached as a producer. However, the talk became reality when Jack Harlow was cast in 2022. White Men Can’t Jump is the directorial debut of music video and commercial director Calmatic. Written by black-ish showrunner Kenya Barris, Sinqua Walls (American Soul, The Blackening) will co-star alongside Harlow. DJ Drama is responsible for the film’s soundtrack.

“White Men Can’t Jump” Blends Nostalgia And Originality

The trailer released by Hulu paints broad similarities with the 90s original. Kamal (Walls) is a streetball player who is shown up by Harlow’s unassuming and as-yet-unnamed character. The two team up to hustle local streetball games, while both balancing their respective home lives. Kamal is seen as a liability while Harlow is viewed as a directionless hustler. In a reference to the original being 32 years old, Harlow quips that it’s “outdated” to judge his hoops ability on him being white. The late Lance Reddick briefly appears as Kamal’s father, who suffers from MS. The film also highlights performances by Teyana Taylor and Laura Harrier.

However, the biggest change from the original film appears to be the end goal. In the original, it’s a game against two streetball legends. The remake appears to build towards a flashy streetball tournament with a $500,000 prize. Additionally, it’s clear from the trailer that the roles have been swapped somewhat, with Wall’s Kamal being the central character. However, Harlow does not appear to play second fiddle, being given time to shine outright. The trailer pitches a fun remake of a 90s classic, with big-name stars and an updated feel. White Man Can’t Jump lands on Hulu on May 19.

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Jack Harlow Set To Star In New Apple Original Film

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Jack Harlow has already established himself as a multitalented entertainer. The Kentucky native first hit the scene in 2020 with the release of his platinum-selling debut album “That’s What The All Say.” Harlow quickly established himself as a superstar in the music industry. However, his focus recently has shifted more to the world of acting. Harlow already has wrapped up filming on the remake of the 1992 classic White Men Can’t Jump. That project is set to hit theaters next month. However, the “What’s Poppin” artist already has another acting role lined up.

Deadline reports that Harlow will be joining the cast of the Apple Original Film, The Instigators. He joins an ensemble cast that includes Hollywood A-listers Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. Other industry mainstays set to star in the film include Ving Rhames, Hong Chau, Paul Walter Hauser, Ron Perlman, Alfred Molina and Michael Stuhlbarg. The project is being directed by Doug Liman. The film will depict two thieves who go on the run with the help of a therapist following a botched robbery.

Another Triumph For Harlow

Jack Harlow attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

For Harlow, the project represents just the latest chapter in an already stellar career. He has already racked up six Grammy nominations. He has amounted an incredible 10 billion streams. In 2021, he earned his first number one single with the track “Industry Baby” alongside Lil Nas X. His second number one was his smash hit “First Class.” That song is also hugely popular on TikTok, where it has become one of the most used sounds in the app’s history. Harlow showed off his acting chops again earlier this year he starred alongside Missy Elliot in a Dorito’s Super Bowl ad.

Harlow joins the likes of Ice Cube, Queen Latifah and Megan Thee Stallion as artists who have transitioned from music to acting. Time will tell if Harlow can live up to the quality of those performers. However, it would be wise not bet against him. Harlow has already gone from relative obscurity to superstardom in three years. There seems to be nothing stopping him from taking Hollywood by storm just like the music industry.

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Jack Harlow’s Acting Debut In ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ Is Nearly Here As Hulu Released First-Look Trailer

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Jack Harlow’s aspirations to become a beloved industry baby is underway. As the “First Class” prepares for tonight’s Grammy Awards, where hopes to win big, Hulu just released the first look at its upcoming film White Men Can’t Jump remake starring the musician.

Despite appearing in several commercials and documentaries, this film marks Harlow’s acting debut. He has big shoes to fill stepping into the role of quirky street basketball player Billy Hoyle. While Harlow certainly has the charisma of the character nailed, he still needs to showcase another side playing off his co-star actor Sinqua Walls (Teen Wolf, Power, The Breaks), who plays his athletic partner in crime, Sidney Deane.

The original beloved 1992 film starred actors Woody Harrelson (who originally played Billy Hoyle) and Wesley Snipes (who originally played Sidney Deane) quickly became a cultural fixture. But, even though this is Harlow’s first significant role, director Charles Kidd II, professionally known as Calmatic, who has worked with Harlow in the past, isn’t worried.

In an interview with Esquire, Calmatic confidently said, “Man, listen, after this film, I don’t think Jack Harlow is going to be a rapper.”

Calmatic later clarified his statement to say, “I mean, I’m sure he is not going to give up rap, but he’s definitely going to be a Mark Wahlberg—where I think people are going to know him more for acting than his music,” adding, “And so I’m happy that he got his feet wet with White Men Can’t Jump so I can take a little responsibility for that. I’m excited for the world to see him and get the full scope of him as an artist.”

The original film, written and directed by Ron Shelton, came out in 1992. The film starred Woody Harrelson as basketball player Billy Hoyle, who teams up with Wesley Snipes’ Sidney Deane to make money by hustling people on the court. The first-look trailer immerses viewers into the world of recreational basketful and is filled with professional references.

Watch the full teaser clip above.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

starring Sinqua Walls and Jack Harlow, streaming May 19 on Hulu.

“White Men Can’t Jump” Trailer Stars Jack Harlow As Basketball Player Billy Hoyle

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Less than a year ago, the news broke that Jack Harlow was cast as the leading man in the forthcoming White Men Can’t Jump reboot. Previously it was Woody Harrelson who brought the beloved character Billy Hoyle to life, but he’s made it clear that he co-signs the rapper as his replacement. Today (February 5), the movie’s first trailer arrived, giving audiences their first look at his big acting debut.

Jack Harlow attends 2022 Harper’s Bazaar ICONS & Bloomingdale’s 150th Anniversary on September 09, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

The “WHAT’S POPPIN” stars opposite Sinqua Walls in the reboot. As the preview begins, Skee-lo’s “I Wish” blasts while we’re introduced to the two stars in character. “I probably should have asked this earlier, but how much cash do you have on you?” the Kentucky native asks his friend as they stand in front of a basketball net.

“Did you not bring enough money to cover this game?” Walls’ character responds back, the concern in his eyes evident. “I brought like $80… Minus $60,” Harlow sheepishly admits while two menacing-looking men watch from the side. Elsewhere in the 30-second clip, we see some of the recording artist’s baller skills, which he worked hard to improve upon – specifically at Kawhi Leonard’s request.

So far, Twitter users seem to be mostly optimistic about White Men Can’t Jump. While some obviously still have their doubts, others are eager to see if the 24-year-old could potentially appear in other future projects. “I’m intrigued because I like Jack Harlow,” one person wrote this afternoon. “Script will depict his performance.”

“Sorry, I don’t see the same personality and charisma that Snipes and Harrelson had,” another user argued. “I’ll pass. Hope I’m wrong.” Someone else, still, brought a close friend of the rapper’s into the conversation. “Jack Harlow makes better skits with Druski than that WMCJ trailer,” they quipped.

Apart from the new trailer, things have been relatively quiet on Harlow’s front as of late. In mid-December, sources said that he and Dua Lipa have struck up a romantic relationship after he named a song after her on his sophomore album last year. At the time, the English songstress didn’t seem to reciprocate his interest, but that all may have changed.

Unfortunately, we haven’t heard any updates on their status as a couple lately. As the White Men Can’t Jump premiere nears closer, though, it’s possible we may see them take over the red carpet together. Read all about the rumoured young lovers here, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.

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Vince Staples Lands Acting Roles In Reboots Of Both ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ And ‘The Wood’

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Vince Staples REVOLT & AT&T Summit 2019
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Beyond music, Vince Staples has a nicely fleshed-out IMDb page and lately has been especially stacked with news on that front: In separate reports shared within 24 hours of each other, it was revealed that Staples has joined the cast of a couple notable projects.

Deadline reports today that Staples has been brought into the fold of the new White Men Can’t Jump movie, joining a cast that includes Jack Harlow, Sinqua Walls, Lance Reddick, Teyana Taylor, and others. It hasn’t yet been revealed what sort of role Staples will be playing in the film.

On top of that, Variety reported yesterday that the rapper has been tapped by Showtime to join the main cast of comedy pilot The Wood, based on the 1999 movie (starring Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones, and Taye Diggs) of the same name.

Variety notes Staples will “star as Jamal, an aspiring photographer from Ladera Heights, who has been cut off by his upper-class family when he decided to follow his own path instead of going to historic Morehouse College.” The publication also notes, “The show is described as an honest look at friendship and dating from the perspective of three young Black males born and raised in the gentrifying LA suburb of Inglewood. The trio’s struggles to balance fatherhood, ambition and loyalty force them to question if they are growing apart, or closer together.”

Staples will star alongside Xavier Mills, Karen Obilom, Melvin Gregg, and Essence Renae, as well as Richard T. Jones and Tamala Jones, reprising their respective roles of Slim and Tanya from the original movie.

This latest credits follows Staples’ lead role in the 2019-2021 Adult Swim cartoon Lazor Wulf, as well as appearances on Insecure, American Dad, and more.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Woody Harrelson Weighs In On Jack Harlow’s ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ Remake: ‘I’m Feeling Great About It’

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When the news broke that Jack Harlow would be starring in a remake of the classic 1992 basketball comedy White Men Can’t Jump, many of the original movie’s fans were distraught. After all, remakes of classics are rarely as good as the originals (or so goes the conventional wisdom about such things), and Jack Harlow is far better known for rapping about Tyler Herro than imitating him on the court. As I noted way back in my interview with Jack for the Bleacher Report two-on-two for NBA All-Star, though, he’s a committed, regular hooper, so I always liked the casting.

It turns out one of the original film’s co-stars agrees with me, so I feel even better about this assessment now. During an interview with Yahoo Entertainment about his upcoming film The Man From Toronto, the hosts asked Woody Harrelson how he felt about Jack Harlow potentially recreating his role as hot-headed trash talker Billy Hoyle in the remake. Woody’s answer is unequivocally enthusiastic as he gushes, “I’m feeling great… I think Jack’s gonna crush it. They’re gonna make a better movie than we made. I’m looking forward to watching it.”

Those still skeptical about the “First Class” rapper’s basketball chops needn’t worry. Earlier this year, Jack showed out in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, knocking in a couple of long-range jumpers — harder for the average person than NBA fans might realize, considering the length of the NBA three-point line — and played some respectable defense. He also appears in an ad for Kawhi Leonard’s New Balance sneakers alongside the Clippers star, which means he probably got at least a few pointers. And while the whole “acting” component of starring in a movie remains a question mark, the film’s producers were obviously confident enough in his audition to give him a shot. With Woody’s co-sign, the torch has officially been passed. Now, let’s see what Mr. Harlow does with it.

Jack Harlow Didn’t See ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ Until He Was Cast In The Remake

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While on the red carpet at the Met Gala last night, Jack Harlow was asked about his role in the upcoming remake of the classic basketball comedy White Men Can’t Jump. In reply, he admitted that he never actually watched the original until after he was cast in the remake, which means it took him a FULL YEAR to do so after I brought it up in my interview with him ahead of his two-on-two game at NBA All-Star 2021 (did I manifest the remake happening? I don’t know. I’m happy to take credit).

“Can I be honest?” he confessed in response to a Vogue reporter’s question about whether he was familiar with the source material. “I was obviously familiar with it, it’s an iconic title and I’ve seen the movie poster, but I didn’t watch it until I got offered the role. I see why it’s a classic.”

And while news of Harlow’s casting met mixed reviews on social media, his performance in this year’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game showed he’s got the range for the role — literally, as he hit multiple 25-footers, despite some wonky shooting form. Meanwhile, there was plenty of interest in his on-screen partner, with everyone from Drake to Quavo being suggested for the role. However, the Wesley Snipes to Harlow’s Woody Harrelson will be played by Sinqua Wells from The Breaks, Friday Night Lights, and Teen Wolf. Meanwhile, Jack himself might just be hitting up his old buddy Tyler Herro for some pointers, since he now knows just what he has to live up to.

Jack Harlow’s ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ Remake Has Cast Wesley Snipes’ Role — But It’s Not Quavo

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We learned last month that Jack Harlow has already been confirmed to star in a remake of the 1992 hoops hustler classic White Men Can’t Jump. While Harlow is a lock to play Woody Harrelson’s Billy Hoyle role, Quavo had thrust his name into the ring to play Wesley Snipes’ Sidney Deane character. In a seemingly random encounter with a TMZ paparazzo, Quavo said, “I think they need to call me so me and Jack Harlow can do it. I need to play Wesley Snipes’ role. Huncho and Harlow, let’s do it.” While the above-average basketball skills that Quavo flashed at last year’s NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity helped notch him a role as a playable character on the NBA 2K22 video game, he doesn’t really have much of an acting resume to speak of.

To be fair, neither did Harlow, who apparently wowed enough in his audition for the “First Class” rapper to claim the starring role in producer Kenya Barris’ (Blackish) reboot. But Quavo officially won’t be joining Harlow in the film as 37-year old Sinqua Walls — who you may know from Teen Wolf, The Breaks, and Friday Night Lights — has been cast in Wesley Snipes’ Sidney Deane role, according to Deadline. While the pipe dream of a Huncho and Harlow silver screen pairing was appealing, having an established actor as a co-star is probably a better way for the film to be taken seriously.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.