Jonah Hill's update of 21 Jump Street is gathering momentum, with the jocular star of Funny People and Superbad revealing to Coming Soon that he expects it to go before the cameras this year.

He also gave some indication of the tone of the film, which in its original TV incarnation involved prettyboy cops investigating crimes in high schools. It starred Johnny Depp, whose contractually enforced four years of unwanted teen idoldom sent him hurtling into the arms of John Waters and Tim Burton for sanctuary.

And yet Hill is adamant that his version won't be a parody. "It's a John Hughes movie with Bad Boys style action," he promises. "I really love the Back to the Future aspect of getting to relive a certain period of your life. But we're not doing something serious like Miami Vice! It's a funny movie, [but] with a real story. I wouldn't make it if it wouldn't be awesome."

The directors are Hill's friends Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who were behind Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, and Hill is currently tweaking the original script by Michael Bacall and Joe Gazzam to "fit the directors' vision".

No cast details yet. Hill will be starring as well as producing, but will only reveal that he isn't playing Depp's character... which possibly chimes with Depp's reported willingness to turn out for a cameo. "There might be a couple of surprises in there," Hill suggests, puckishly.