'Little Fockers' Brings Back Dustin Hoffman

Hoffman's character of Bernie Focker will be back. Hoffman was originally set to appear
but was written out of the sequel when a deal couldn't be reached.

According to Deadline, Hoffman will return for reshoots on the film and will get paid
what he would have originally earned to appear in the entire film.

Hoffman is expected to shoot a few scenes with Barbra Streisand, as well as a large
scene towards the end of the film including all of the main characters. Scenes between
Ben Stiller and his on-screen children are also being redone.

Paul Weitz is directing the film while Jay Roach and John Hamburg are producing.

Reshoots on the project kick off next month, but the film's December 22nd release date
remains on target. Reshoots can usually mean trouble for a production, but since it's to
add another character that was decently funny in the last film, it's not much to fret over.

Although its been quite a while since the last film came out, "Little Fockers" should be a
huge box office dram come winter time.

Ben Stiller Pulls Off A "Trump Heist"

Ben Stiller is in talks join the cast of "Trump Heist" (aka. "Tower Heist") for Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment.

According to the LA Times: The film (which may eventually be called "Tower Heist"--that pesky legal department) is about a group of con men who devise a plan to swindle the residents of New York's upscale Trump Tower, where they also work.

Various actors and writers have been involved in the project at one time or another. Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and Chris Tucker were once set to co-star, while "Inside Man" writer Russell Gewirtz, "Dodgeball" scribe Rawson Marshall Thurber and "Ocean's Eleven" writer Ted Griffin have all had a crack at the script.

Stiller is in talks to play the lead heist-man, the role Murphy would have played. A new draft will be penned to take it in a direction more fitting his talents.

Sources say that the studio has brought on Noah Baumbach ("The Squid and the Whale") to work on the latest draft. Baumbach just recently directed Stiller in the upcoming "Greenberg,” out later this spring.

Anything that Ben Stiller is in gets me interested, but now that Noah Baumbach will do a re-write? Count me in. I have always been a fan of the “Ocean” films, so this movie is right up my alley. I also like the New York setting, which should make for some fun moments between Stiller and his crew.

Director Brett Ratner has long been attached to helm the film.

Ben Stiller To Direct "Help Me Spread the Goodness"

It appears that Tony Perkis himself is getting serious, as Ben Stiller is gearing up to helm “Help Me Spread Goodness” for Participant Media, says Production Weekly.

According to Production Weekly: “Ben Stiller's “Help Me Spread Goodness” is scheduled to begin production mid-April on location in Africa & the U.S.”

The production company has a mandate that says their films must compel social change. "Goodness" is based on a 2008 Black List-approved screenplay written by Mark Friedman. The film is about a Chicago banker who gets swindled in a Nigerian Internet scam.

It's described as a drama with comic overtones and was developed by Participant Media executive VP Jonathan King and president Ricky Strauss. While the project is meant to be entertaining, it sheds a light on current issues in Nigeria and other African countries.

There is no word yet if Stiller himself will star or who else might be among the cast.

Stiller seems to be leaning towards the dramatic side lately, with Noah Baumbach’s "Greenberg" on the way, and this mature project in the works. Stiller has proved that he has a knack for directing, with “The Cable Guy,” “Zoolander” and “Tropic Thunder” under his belt. The film sounds like it will be interesting, and hopefully it will shed more light on what’s going on in Africa.

'The Hardy Men' Still in the Works?

Back in 2007 director Shawn Levy was set to direct Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise in “The Hardy Men”, a remake of the popular “Hardy Boys” series.

The film would have the Hardy Boys all grown up, and not getting along, reunite to solve a new crime old-school style. Simon Kinberg was going to do a rewrite on the project, but since then there has been no movement regarding the film. Director Levy has talked to Starpulse and explained why it's taking so long to get to the screen.

According to Levy: "Developing a movie for a movie star is hard. Developing a movie for two movie stars is a very, very challenging enterprise. The bull's eye is small and the tone has to be exactly right. So we are still working on it. I saw how well Ben and Tom got along with “Tropic Thunder” and that's what gave me the idea of wait a second, I've got to do a movie with them together. Wait a second, let's do The Hardy Men with them together. That brainchild came about because I saw their chemistry as friends."

Levy also said that part of the development process is also figuring out what mystery grown-up Hardy’s would solve. "We have tried several. We have not locked in on one." It seems that the biggest hiccup is that Levy can’t find a script that fits the vision he has the project.

Stiller obviously is a comedic giant, but Cruise also has a knack for laughs including his work in “Risky Business”, “Cocktail” and “Jerry Maguire.” If you’ll notice I purposely left out “Tropic Thunder”; I know many people found him hilarious in that film, but I was not one of those people.

I’m hoping that Levy can figure things out, because the prospect of Stiller and Cruise teaming up is a rare combination of star power.