Ice Cube brings back the comedy sequel fans waited 20 years for

If you remember the era when every other family comedy at the cinema starred Ice Cube trying his best not to lose his rag, then get ready—he’s teaming up with Nia Long again, nearly two decades on, for another round. Yes, after ages apart, the pair are coming back for a third instalment in the series that basically defined the ‘exasperated stepdad’ genre.

Old Friends, New Headaches

Ice Cube and Nia Long have been orbiting each other on screen for years, but surprisingly, 'Are They Gone Yet?' will be their first proper reunion since 'Are We Done Yet?'. For those with a long memory: Long first popped up beside Cube in 'Boyz n the Hood' (though her bit was brief), then she had what can only be described as a cameo in Cube’s writing debut, 'Friday'—but they never actually shared a scene. So if you’ve ever wondered why they had such solid married-couple vibes in the ‘Are We There Yet?’ films, that’s a history lesson for you.

What's the New Film About, Then?

Twenty years since Nick and Suzanne dragged the kids across the country, they’re now staring down yet another family challenge: grandkids. ‘Are They Gone Yet?’ picks up with Cube’s Nick and Long’s Suzanne wrangling a fresh generation. If this lot are anything like the originals, expect everything to spiral out of control by the second act.

The script is coming from Chris Hazzard and Mike Fontana, while Skydance Sports (yes, sports division—don’t ask me why) has picked up the project. No confirmed release date yet, which seems about right for how these things go.

'We built something special with this franchise. Audiences grew up with Nick Persons, and now Nick's got grandkids. Time flies. Partnering with Skydance to bring this story to a new generation is exactly the kind of move CubeVision was built for, and I am excited for the new partnership.'
– Ice Cube

Bit of Background, for the Curious

• Are We There Yet? (2005): Cube is Nick—test-driving parenthood by hauling his girlfriend’s kids, Lindsey (Aleisha Allen) and Kevin (Philip Daniel Bolden), on a road trip that should’ve taken half a day but definitely didn’t. Released 21 January 2005, it made a tidy $82.6 million in the US on a $32 million budget. Not exactly ground-breaking, but certainly profitable.
• Are We Done Yet? (2007): Nick and Suzanne are now married and battling through the joys of property ownership (read: everything goes wrong). It’s both a sequel and a riff on 'Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House' from 1948. Opened 4 April 2007, drew $49.6 million at the box office—quite a drop-off from the first. Goes to show, sequels are a gamble even when you’re Ice Cube.
• Telly Adaptation: The franchise bizarrely spawned a TV version (TBS, 2010-2013), this time starring Terry Crews and Essence Atkins. Ran for three seasons, so someone must’ve been watching. Cube and Long weren’t involved—if you blinked, you missed it.

The Cast: Who's In, Who's Out?

Cube and Long are officially on board. As for the ‘kids’, it’s up in the air. Aleisha Allen (Lindsey) hasn’t shown up in a film since 2012, and Philip Daniel Bolden (Kevin) last turned up in the TV series ‘Millennials’ back in 2021. If they don’t return, expect those roles to be recast with adult actors, much like other franchises keep doing these days. I wouldn’t put money on the original duo, frankly.

Bit odd Skydance Sports is the one putting this together, but this is Hollywood—it doesn’t have to make sense as long as it makes money.