LATEST NEWS

'Ace Ventura' Helmer Tom Shadyac Could Remake 'The Intouchables'

by Ben Pearson
February 28, 2013

The indie hit The Intouchables was once lined up to be the French entry into the Best Foreign Language category at the Oscars this past Sunday, but despite backing from The Weinstein Company, the movie was ultimately didn't make it through the nomination process. It did make over $400 million overseas, but it pulled in only $10 million domestically, so TWC is naturally setting up an American remake, which we already heard has Chris Tucker circling to star. Now Deadline reports that Ace Ventura: Pet Detective director Tom Shadyac, who hasn't directed a narrative feature since 2007, is in talks to direct the remake.

For your reference, here's the trailer for the original French film:

Famous for directing movies like Ace Ventura, The Nutty Professor, Liar Liar, Patch Adams, and Bruce Almighty, Shadyac himself is quite an interesting character. After a near-death experience caused by a bicycle accident, the director had something of a midlife crisis, moving out of his Hollywood mansion, gaving away many of his possessions, and going on a worldwide search for meaning, all captured in his 2010 documentary I Am. The remake of The Intouchables would be his first narrative feature since 2007's Evan Almighty, which was a notoriously difficult production that ballooned into the most expensive comedy ever made and was ultimately a financial disappointment.

Chris Tucker said he's speaking with producers about taking the role Omar Sy had in the original, a man from the projects hired by a wealthy paraplegic aristocrat to take care of him. Rumor has it Colin Firth is attached to take over for Francois Cluzet in the role of the aristocrat, but Deadline says no casting is official at this point. Hopefully both of these guys end up getting cast, and a heartwarming, low-key, funny story like this should be a good way to ease Shadyac back into directing comedy again. Thoughts?

Filed under Development, Movie News

From around the web: