At the end of April director Noah Baumbach left the gestating kids movie “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” that would have seen the helmer re-team with his “Greenberg” star Ben Stiller. Well, it appears that when Baumbach left, so did Stiller, as 20th Century Fox are now seeking a new leading man.
Jim Carrey, Jack Black and Owen Wilson are being considered for the lead role with Carrey being the studio’s top choice. Based on the 1939 Newbury Award winning children’s book, “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” follows a house painter whose dreams of Arctic exploration prompt him to write letters to real explorers. Soon, penguins start arriving on his doorstep and before long he has a litter of 12 beaked birds. When the penguins start to eat him out of house and home, Mr. Popper forms Popper’s Performing Penguins, a stage act that goes on tour and causes mayhem at every stop.
Frankly we’ve had enough of Black’s family film antics, and Wilson should really stop already with the paycheck gigs (ie. “Marmaduke”). Carrey seems to be the right fit for the put upon Mr. Popper and we could see him shining in the role; it’s no surprise the studio wants him. With Baumbach out of the picture, the studio is in talks with Mark Waters (“The Spiderwick Chronicles”) to direct. The “Hot Tub Time Machine” duo of Sean Anders and John Morris are penning the screenplay.
No word yet on when the studio wants this in production, but we would guess if Jim Carrey comes aboard, the pieces will come together quickly.