Ben Stiller will rent ghosts in Rentaghost

Now that Ben Stiller is FOCKERed out (let’s hope) and has saved a couple of museums, he’s looking for a new family-friendly comedy franchise. How about RENTAGHOST?

Fox is hoping the old BBC series will provide material for the star, and has his NIGHT AT THE MUSEUMs writers (and “Reno 911!” cops) Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant working on adapting it into what the studio undoubtedly hopes is another reasonably innocuous yet highly lucrative FX-filled flick. (Similarly, Stiller also has the alien-fighting comedy NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH in the works.)

The old “Rentaghost” show involved a supernatural company that, as you’ve guessed, rents out ghosts for various tasks. The new version will have Stiller as “an American turnaround consultant who is sent to the UK to reinvigorate a failing company.” (Whether he’s alive or one of the spirits isn’t yet known.)

Russell Brand was previously attached to star in the remake for Warner Bros., but perhaps Hollywood is finally accepting that he sucks.