The film franchise relies heavily on slapstick humor and physical comedy, as the misfit recruits attempt to prove themselves capable of being police officers, succeeding despite their eccentricities.

The first four films follow Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), a repeat offender forced to join the police academy as punishment.

[1][2] Parallels have been drawn between Police Academy and the British Carry On series,[3] for their common tropes of a returning ensemble cast, frequent use of lowbrow humor, and reliance on sexual innuendo.

Guttenberg announced in September 2018 that a new Police Academy movie was in the works after spending years in development hell.

The film has a newly elected female mayor announcing a policy requiring the police department to accept all willing recruits.

In Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment, the newly graduated cadets are sent to one of the worst precincts in the city to improve the conditions.

When the city suffers from a dangerous set of crimes by a gang of jewel thieves, the Metropolitan Police Academy graduates are brought in to do something about it.

Police Academy: Mission to Moscow, released in 1994 and directed by Alan Metter, involved the officers going to Russia to help catch an international crime figure.

A franchise reboot has been in various stages of development hell since 2003,[4][5] when the eighth Police Academy film was announced with a tentative release scheduled for 2007.

The studio acknowledged the franchise's return after more than thirteen years of absence,[5] Paul Maslansky stated, "I felt it was time to start again.

Carey Mahoney) confirmed that 8 was still in development and that he was working on the script with Warner Bros.[13][better source needed] Guttenberg is slated to direct the film,[14] and stated that all living cast members from the previous installments would return to reprise their roles.

[14] In March 2010, New Line announced plans to revive the Police Academy franchise, with a new film in development with Paul Maslansky attached as filmmaker.

[19] Later in March of the same year, Michael Winslow stated that production of the eighth film tentatively scheduled to commence that November, and that an offer had been made to Shaquille O'Neal to replace the late Bubba Smith as Hightower.

[21][22] After years of delays, Steve Guttenberg announced in September 2018, that the sequel was once again in active development; stating, "the next Police Academy is coming, no details yet, but it is in a gift bag being readied!