Ice Cube is bringing back the extremely retro Hollywood Squares game show with some help from VH1, meaning we may finally have a reason to actually care about game shows again. Cube and VH1 have inked a deal for "at least" 20 episodes of Hip Hop Squares, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The series is slated to premiere this fall.
"Hip Hop Squares is going to be fun and spontaneous; unlike typical game shows, viewers should never know what's going to happen next," Ice Cube told THR Thursday. "When VH1 asked us to join the producing team, we jumped aboard as we have had success with VH1, and we love their team, excitement, and commitment to the show." Here's what the OG Hollywood Squares looked like, if you're into that sort of thing:
The updated take on the celeb-filled game show will feature notable contestants showing off their pop culture prowess (or lack thereof), with a focus on what THR is calling "the biggest names in hip-hop, comedy, and entertainment." Cube Vision, co-founded by Ice Cube and Matt Alvarez, will executive produce the series.
In February, Ice Cube outlined his current ambitions in an interview with THR: "[Hollywood] ain't cool enough yet. It's got gatekeepers everywhere. Cool people still have a hard time showing what they got in Hollywood." To alleviate the industry's lack of coolness, Cube is planning to start up his own movie studio. "I'm ready to greenlight movies and be in it to win it," he said.