Marlon Wayans and Keke Palmer Star in New Romantic Comedy ‘Ride or Die’ with Lionsgate

Lionsgate Acquires ‘Ride or Die’ Starring Marlon Wayans and Keke Palmer

Lionsgate has announced its acquisition of Ride or Die, a romantic buddy action-comedy featuring Marlon Wayans and Keke Palmer in the lead roles. The film follows robbery detective Martin Banks, portrayed by Wayans, and narcotics detective Tami Moore, played by Palmer. The duo must navigate their differences as they work together to recover a billion-dollar stash of dangerous opioids that threatens to inundate the streets of Chicago.

Wayans describes the film as the first romantic buddy-cop action comedy, likening it to When Harry Met Sally—but with firearms. He has co-written the screenplay alongside Rick Alvarez. Production is set to be handled by Wayans and Alvarez’s company Ugly Baby, along with Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher from Moritz’s Original Film. Palmer and her mother, Sharon Palmer, are also in discussions to serve as executive producers.

Scott O’Brien will oversee the project for Lionsgate, while Robert Melnik negotiated the studio’s acquisition deals.

Wayans recently starred in Him, produced by Jordan Peele, and is set to appear in the upcoming installment of Scary Movie, a project he co-wrote and produced with Alvarez. He is represented by 3 Arts, UTA, and Yorn, Levine. Alvarez is also represented by the same agencies.

Keke Palmer is enjoying a busy period, with her latest film, I Love Boosters, premiering at SXSW. The Boots Riley-directed comedy is scheduled for release over Memorial Day weekend. Additionally, Palmer stars in the upcoming Peacock comedy series The Burbs and was honored as the NAACP Image Awards’ Entertainer of the Year. She is further expected to appear in MGM’s Spaceballs 2. Palmer, a 2023 Emmy winner for NBC’s Password, also hosts the award-winning podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer. She is represented by 3 Arts and Hertz Lichtenstein Young & Polk.

Original Film is currently producing Highlander with director Chad Stahelski, as well as Sonic the Hedgehog 4. The company has several other projects, including Beach Read for 20th Century and a live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Paramount. Additionally, Season 5 of The Boys will premiere next week, and the spinoff series S.W.A.T. Exiles is in post-production, with God of the Woods set to begin filming this summer for Netflix.