‘Ride Along 3': Finally good news!

Nearly a decade after fans last saw Ice Cube and Kevin Hart entertained us through another buddy cop adventure, Ride Along 3 is in early development again at Universal, and this time there's a new reason for cautious optimism.

The key ingredient that may have been missing until now is a writer.

Daniel Gold, known for the Netflix and CBC comedy series Workin' Moms, has been hired to pen the screenplay, according to Variety. 

Director Tim Story and producer Will Packer, who were both behind the original films, are also back on board.

It is worth tempering expectations slightly. 

The Ride Along team has been trying to get a third instalment off the ground for the best part of ten years without success. 

But the hiring of a writer suggests the project has moved further along than previous attempts, and the commercial logic for Universal is clear.

The first Ride Along grossed $155 million when it opened in 2014, and its 2016 sequel brought in $125 million, both strong performers that demonstrated genuine chemistry between Hart and Cube.