Skip to main content

A ‘Knight Rider’ reboot is on the way, and it could star John Cena, Kevin Hart

The quickest way to get your idea greenlighted in Hollywood is … well, to not have an idea at all. Rebooting classic shows and movies is the name of the game these days — after three different Spider-Mans and three different Hulks in the past 20 years, you’d think people might get bored, but apparently not.

Superhero flicks aren’t the only ones getting fresh coats of paint, either. The Weinstein Company has their eye on ultra-popular 1980s cop show Knight Rider, and is planning a comedic take on the show, in the same vein as Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s 21 Jump Street. Screenrant reported Tuesday that the studio hopes to snag WWE superstar John Cena to play Michael Knight (portrayed by David Hasselhoff in the original series) and comedian-slash-actor Kevin Hart to voice his car, KITT.

Recommended Videos

In recent years, Cena has followed the path set by The Rock — er, sorry, Dwayne Johnson — back in the early 2000s, splitting time between the wrestling ring and the silver screen. He’s appeared in both comedic roles (Trainwreck) and dramatic ones (The Wall). Earlier this month, he signed on to the Transformers spinoff Bumblebee, due out in December 2018.

The 16-time WWE champion is also a famed philanthropist, promoting slogans like “Rise Above Hate,” “Hustle, Loyalty, & Respect,” and “Never Give Up.” He holds the all-time record for wishes granted via the Make-A-Wish Foundation with more than 500.

Hart, meanwhile, rose to fame as a stand-up comedian before settling into his role as Hollywood’s go-to short guy, vacuuming up roles alongside badass co-stars like Johnson (Central Intelligence) and Ice Cube (Ride Along). He currently has the lead role in BET’s parody series Real Husbands of Hollywood.

If the movie actually gets made, it’ll be a minor miracle, considering the litany of failed Knight Rider reboots. A 2008 series on NBC crashed and burned after just one season, and a Justin Lin-helmed Machinima webseries failed to gain traction last year. Hell, even Hasselhoff himself approached Robert Rodriguez about producing a dark, Logan-inspired take on the franchise.

Given the show’s goofy concept (and the fact that talking cars are now commonplace), a Jump Street-style comedy seems like a good fit, with both Cena and Hart possessing serious funnyman chops. There’s no guarantee of success, however, as similar reboot projects like Baywatch (hi again, Rock!) and CHIPS failed to impress this year.

Nick Hastings
Former Staff Writer, Home Theater
Nick is a Portland native and a graduate of Saint Mary's College of California with a Bachelor's of Communication. Nick's…
3 rom-coms on Netflix you need to watch in July 2025
A woman and a man stand next to each other.

The romance section on Netflix has some heavy hitters in July. What's more romantic than The Notebook? The beautiful drama starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams has not aged one bit. Trust me, crying remains mandatory, especially at the end. Speaking of tears, A Star Is Born will have you riding the entire wave of emotions from start to finish.

While those two movies are undoubtedly charming, they will leave you in a puddle. This article features three rom-coms that should put you in a better mood. Check out our picks and their streaming information below. 

Read more
3 underrated HBO Max movies you should watch this weekend (July 11-13)
A group of people stand in a line and look.

Last week marked the arrival of Sinners, which is in the running for the movie event of 2025. Ryan Coogler's vampiric horror stars Michael Jordan as twin brothers who return to their hometown to open a juke joint. The opening night transforms into a nightmare with the arrival of a supernatural creature with sinister intentions.

Sinners is now available to stream on the newly named HBO Max. Beyond Sinners, the streamer has an abundance of underrated movies waiting to be streamed. One of our picks is The Suicide Squad, James Gunn's first crack at a DC story. View all three selections below.

Read more
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (July 11-13)
Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory.

Finding a movie to watch on a hot July weekend can be difficult, especially when you feel like you've watched everything obvious. If you're sick of scrolling through Amazon Prime Video and spending more time looking at titles than actually watching one, then we've got you covered.

We've pulled together a list of three underrated movies that are all available on Prime Video. While these movies might have made an impact upon their release, they aren't as well remembered as they should be. Here's why you should check them out.

Read more