Keegan-Michael Key Talks 'Don't Think Twice,' 'Key & Peele' and Next Big Project

— -- If you’re still feeling a bit of depression without Comedy Central’s “Key & Peele” show, there may be hope. Keegan-Michael Key, half of the comedy duo, is back with an all new comedy/dramedy, “Don’t Think Twice." This time, it’s for the big screen. Key told ABC News he had a system in place to help pinpoint his new big project.

“My agent said, 'I need you to start being more picky. I need you to start really picking projects that move you and interest you,'” said Key. “And I said, no matter what, the next thing that comes across my desk, unless tears are coming out of my face, I said, the rule is tears have to be coming down my face. I can’t just get verklempt, I have to cry. Cut to page 95, weeping.”

The film takes moviegoers on a roller coaster of emotions. It shines a spotlight on both the ups and downs of life in a comedy troupe and features a cast of familiar faces -- Mike Birbiglia, Gillian Jacobs, Chris Gethard, Kate Micucci and Tami Sagher.

But for some, it might be slightly odd to see Key without Jordan Peele. The two first teamed up when working on sketches for "Mad TV." And Key couldn’t speak highly enough about his funny buddy.

“For my money, best sketch writer here in America,” Key, 45, told Peter Travers of Peele. “I can’t speak for other nations or continents. But he may be the best sketch writer in this continent. And I just think the way he sees sketch, the way he sees comedy is absolutely brilliant.”

Fans will be happy to know that Key and Peele are now pulling together their next project -- a reboot of “Police Academy.”

“We may not necessarily be in the film, but we’re going to be part of the creative force behind the film,” Key said. “We’ve been in lots of contact with Paul Maslansky, who invented the genre, to see what we can do … wonderful challenges because we live in a very interesting climate right now that I guess I should say is markedly different than the climate when the first 'Police Academy' came out. So there’s going to be a wonderful challenge to see how we can help benefit our nation. What can we do to be a salve to our nation in this endeavor?”

“Don’t Think Twice” is in theaters everywhere today.