Ice Cube & Charlie Day Comedy ‘Fist Fight’ Has Richie Keen In Talks To Direct

EXCLUSIVE: Richie Keen is in talks to direct Ice Cube and Charlie Day in New Line’s Fist Fight, a comedy from scribes Van Robichaux and Evan Susser. The producers are 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen producing, with Billy Rosenberg and Max Greenfield also involved in producing capacities. They’re planning to get in the ring on this one in September. It’s all moving fast as Deadline just broke news of the project last month with the actors’ attachments.

The pic is in the tone of ’80s cult hit Three O’Clock High but a grown-up version: Day plays a mild-mannered English teacher who is put to the test when a colleague (Ice Cube) who thinks he is trying to get him fired challenges him to a fist fight after school. Sam Brown and Dave Neustadter are the New Line execs on the project.

Keen has directed short films and such TV series as Showtime’s Shameless and FX’s It’s Always Sunny In Philadephia, which stars Day. He’s repped by CAA and Lonestar Entertainment.