The year was 1990 and in pop culture, Janet Jackson's "Escapade" was blasting on boomboxes, people were pumping up their Reebok shoes and in terms of hairstyles, the bigger the better. Another sign of the times was the cult classic House Party. For many, it stands as a symbol of their younger days. At any moment, they can recall a line or segment from the movie and then find themselves letting loose a smile or faint laugh.
We actually still get a kick thinking about a young Martin Lawrence being told in the movie that he has "dragon breath." And we can't be the only ones who have actually done the Kid 'n Play dance routine at a party or two (even as a joke). It's in the vein of such nostalgia that many would-be viewers will be watching the Lebron James-produced reboot when it debuts.
Here's everything we know about the House Party reboot.
When is the House Party release date?
After a few start and stops, the House Party reboot is finally hitting US theaters on January 13, which places the debut on the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in the US.
We're still awaiting word on when the film will debut in the UK.
House Party plot
The original House Party follows a high school student named Kid, who, after a run-in with bullies and getting in trouble at school, is forbidden by his father from going to a house party that his best friend Play is hosting. However, due to Kid's teenage hormones and his fear of missing out, he sneaks out of his room and goes to the festivities. Unfortunately for him and Play, things take a series of disastrous turns.
In the reimagined version of House Party, Warner Brothers has described it by saying:
"When a pair of down on their luck house cleaners discover they're assigned to clean the mansion of Lebron James while he's overseas, they decide to make a life-changing decision to throw a giant party in a quest for immortality and some cash."
Based on the synopsis, we'd say the reboot sounds quite different from the original. This shouldn't be too shocking when you learn that Emmy-nominated Atlanta writers Stephen Glover and Jamal Olori have been tasked with writing a brand new script for the movie.
House Party cast
Leading the way for this new iteration of House Party are Jacob Latimore and Tosin Cole. Latimore is best known for starring in projects like The Chi, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Black Nativity. Cole on the other hand is perhaps most recognizable for his work in Doctor Who, 61st Street and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.
Other notable names featured in the film include Karen Obilom (Doom Patrol), DC Young Fly (Almost Christmas), Shakira Ja’nai Paye (Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders), Andrew Santino (This is Us) and Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office).
House Party trailer
Here's the trailer for the new House Party film. It looks like there are a ton of celebrity cameos. Check out the video.
House Party reviews — what the critics are saying
Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a lot of love for the House Party reboot. As of January 12, the new version has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 43%, which classifies it as "Rotten." The Hollywood Reporter simply says, "Turn down the invitation," while other reviews are a bit more mixed, saying there some elements of the movie that work.
Though the audiences are going to be the ones with the final say.
How long is House Party?
The House Party runtime is one hour and 40 minutes. A fun little note, that is the same exact runtime as the original.
What is House Party rated?
House Party has been given a rating of R in the US for "pervasive language, drug use, sexual material and some violence."
House Party director
House Party is directed by Grammy-Award winner Calmatic. While he's gained notoriety for directing Lil Nas X's video for the mega-hit "Old Town Road," this full-length film will mark his first major project in the cinematic world.
