Ice Cube has reportedly left the comedy Oh Hell No with Jack Black after producers asked that he get vaccinated against COVID-19.
According to the Hollywood Reporter’s unnamed sources, the Sony movie was slated to begin shooting this winter in Hawaii, helmed by Bad Trip filmmaker Kitao Sakurai. Cube and Black teamed up for the flick in June, with the rapper’s payday said to be $9 million.
The production launch date has been rescheduled after Black hurt himself during an episode of Conan. Sources told the outlet the studio is now seeking Ice Cube’s substitute.
Cube reportedly left another project—the boxing movie Flint Strong—earlier this year, though the reason for his departure is unclear. He was set to be a co-lead in the film, which only shot one day in 2020 before shuttering production as the first wave of the virus hit the U.S. last March. Flint Strong is also now looking for a new co-star.
It seems the rapper hasn’t openly made remarks about being pro or against the vaccine. In April, Cube started selling t-shirts emblazoned with his lyric “Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self” and an image of him wearing a face covering, with proceeds going to health workers. And in August, he donated 2,000 face masks to students at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
