Michael Peña Goes Wild In First Official “CHiPS” Movie Trailer

The 1970's-early 80's buddy cop series on 2 wheels gets a mega-updated remake as a movie coming this year!

CHiPs was originally a lightweight action crime drama, which included elements of light comedy in every episode. Over-the-top freeway pileups, which occurred frequently, especially in the later seasons, were a signature of the show on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The series ran for 139 episodes over six seasons, plus one reunion TV movie from October 27, 1998.  

There was little violence on CHiPs. The episodes filled a standard hour-long time slot, which at the time required 48 minutes of actual programming. For filming, traffic on Los Angeles freeways was non-existent and most chase scenes were done on back roads, usually dirt roads.

It originally starred Erik Estrada as macho, rambunctious Officer Francis ("Frank") Llewellyn "Ponch" Poncherello and Larry Wilcox as his straitlaced partner, Officer Jonathan ("Jon") Andrew Baker. With Ponch the more trouble-prone of the pair, and Jon generally the more level-headed one trying to keep him out of trouble with the duo's gruff yet fatherly commanding officer Sergeant Joseph Getraer (Robert Pine).

Fast forward to 2017 and Michael Peña plays Ponch, and Dax Sheppard takes the role of Jon Baker. The trailer below shows that Hollywood has stayed remarkably close to the source material for this updated version.  Though most of the gags seen on the trailer stems from Ponch's unease around Baker's "package".

All in all, I think it's gonna be good... but I also think the dick jokes are kind of childish, but hey, it's a comedy!

CHiPs starring Dax Shepard, Michael Peña and more, will be in theaters March 24th.