Can Ben Stiller be the one to finally get the Walter Mitty remake off the ground?

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

On a spring day, 8 years ago, I was writing about a remake of THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY starring an A-list comedian. Now, on a spring day in 2011, I’m writing a very similar story. Ben Stiller is in talks with Fox to star in a WALTER MITTY remake based on a new script by Steve Conrad (THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS).

Back in 2003, when I first wrote about a WALTER MITTY remake, it was Jim Carrey who was attached to star in the film and in the years since, a large number of actors – Owen Wilson, Mike Myers and Sacha Baron Cohen among them – have found themselves in talks to star in the film. For one reason or another, the project has never actually gotten off the ground though.

Gore Verbinski was the latest director to flirt with the project (Steven Spielberg was involved with the Carrey version) but he seems to have dropped out and Fox hired Conrad to essentially reboot the reboot. Stiller sparked to the script and is in active negotiations to make MITTY his next film.

The actor is currently taking some time out from Hollywood for Broadway, where he’s about to begin a run starring in “The House of Blue Leaves” with Jennifer Jason Leigh and Edie Falco. And just because he wants to make it his next film doesn’t necessarily mean it will be his next film. He’s also developing a ZOOLANDER sequel and is attached to star in WHILE WE’RE YOUNG, Noah Baumbach’s next film.

So can Stiller be the guy who can finally get a WALTER MITTY remake off the ground and, perhaps more importantly, after all these years of development, will anyone care?