After the film’s mega box office success, grossing over $116 million thus far, on a $25 million budget, it certainly wasn’t a surprise when Universal set Tim Story to once again direct Ride Along 2, the sequel to Ride Along, from a script penned by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, with Ice Cube and Kevin Hart returning to reprise their roles. 

The studio has now set an official release date for the film: January 15, 2016, the Friday that’ll kick off the 3-day Martin Luther King Jr holiday weekend, given fans of the first film a good two years to simmer.

Will Packer and Ice Cube’s Cube Vision will also return to produce, with a summer 2014 shoot start date eyed on project which, as previously reported, will have more action and will be more multi-cultural, to help it cross over to reach other audiences – although no word on additional casting just yet.

Kevin Hart continues to stay busy, as do Tim Story and Will Packer. Read my piece on Kevin Hart’s hustle HERE; and on Tim Story’s career HERE.

Packer is currently enjoying the success of both Ride Along and About Last Night; he and Tim Story are finishing off Think Like A Man Too, which will be out this summer. He also has the Idris Elba/Taraji P. Henson thriller No Good Deed on his 2014 release slate. Watch him talk his formula for success HERE.