The Jaw-Dropper
Issa Rae's Set It Off reboot just locked in a new writer—and Hollywood's mid-budget thriller gamble just got a lot more interesting. Playwright and TV scribe C.A. Johnson (Filthy Rich) has been tapped to polish the script, signaling New Line Cinema's push to finally get this project rolling. Rae, set to star and produce, is betting big on a revival of the 1996 cult classic—but in an era of IP fatigue, can this remake actually work?
Why This Changes Everything (Or Nothing)
The original Set It Off—a gritty, female-led heist flick—was a sleeper hit, grossing $41M globally on a $9M budget and launching Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Vivica A. Fox into stardom. Now, New Line is eyeing a $25–30M budget, positioning it as a rare mid-budget studio play. But here's the twist: Johnson's hiring suggests a tone shift. Earlier drafts by Syreeta Singleton (One of Them Days) and Nina Gloster (Star) reportedly leaned into humor—so is this new version doubling down on tension, or just another rewrite hell?
The Hidden Story
Hollywood's reboot obsession isn't new, but Set It Off's delay is telling. First announced in 2019, the project has cycled through writers like a roulette wheel. The original's director, F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton), isn't attached, leaving a gaping question: Who's steering this ship? Anonymous whispers hint New Line wants a director with “edge”—think Widows meets Hustlers—but Rae's comedic roots (Insecure) could clash with the source material's brutal stakes.
The Final Word
Set It Off's legacy is untouchable—but this remake's success hinges on one thing: Will it honor the original's raw desperation, or smooth it into a studio-safe caper? Sound off: Should Hollywood leave classics alone, or is Issa Rae the perfect heir to this heist?
