Harold & Kumar 4 is in development, with the franchise’s creators set to return to write and direct the movie. The cult comedy franchise began life with 2004’s Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, directed by Danny Leiner and written by Hayden Schlossberg and Jon Hurwitz. The movie became a modest success, and was well-received by audiences and critics. This was followed up by Harold & Kumar Go to Guantanamo Bay in 2008, as well as A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas in 2011.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Cobra Kai creators and showrunners Schlossberg, Hurwitz, and Josh Heald have signed on to write and produce Harold & Kumar 4. Schlossberg and Hurwitz will also direct the movie, marking a full-circle moment for the duo, who made their directorial debuts with Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, and who wrote all three movies in the franchise. Franchise stars Kal Penn and John Cho are expected to return, but no deals have been agreed with either yet.

What This Means For The Harold & Kumar Franchise

A Fourth Movie Is Long Overdue

Harold & Kumar was ahead of its time as a movie and a franchise, and this is one of the reasons it has proven to be a popular franchise over the years. The movies have developed a reputation for their humor, subversion of racial stereotypes, and quirky narrative structure, and there have been very few movies that have been similar in the time since. The fact that Schlossberg and Hurwitz have signed on to return means that the quality of the franchise should be strong.

What’s more, the duo’s stock has risen considerably following the success of Cobra Kai‘s six-season run, and bringing in Heald as well should help to maintain that synergy. While nothing has been confirmed on the casting front, Cho and Penn are expected to reprise the тιтular roles. While Neil Patrick Harris played a key part in the original movies, his involvement is currently unknown.

Our Take On Harold & Kumar 4

It’s A Good Chance For The Franchise To Experiment

There are a lot of things that Harold and Kumar could do as a franchise, and Penn has previously revealed he wants Harold & Kumar 4 to be set in space. While this feels unlikely, there is certainly scope for the franchise to do something new and bold. As the two protagonists are much older now, the plot could revolve around them seeking to return to White Castle to recapture their youth. As one of Penn’s best movies, Harold & Kumar is remembered fondly, and the fourth film could take the franchise to the next level.

Source: THR