Well, it looks like the increasingly busy Ben Stiller won’t be directing episodes of the third season of his wildly popular genre-bending Apple TV+ series “Severance,” as the show won’t be as delayed as with the arrival of season two, but it looks like Stiller wants the ability to make other projects.
Stiller spoke with the Los Angeles Times, mentioning that acting gigs like his “Meet The Parents” sequel, “Focker-in-Law,” and other directorial efforts are contributing to him having to step aside on “Severance.”
“These things take time to come together, and the older you get, the more you realize that you only have so much time,” Stiller said of trying to find time to get projects made when you’re getting older.
However, as pointed out by the outlet, “Severance” showrunner Dan Erickson and the writing team weren’t blindsided, and this pause as director on the show was planned, allowing Stiller to do other things for a bit.
Some of those projects will include an untitled World War II survival movie that is expected to begin shooting in the spring, which “tells the true story of a downed airman in occupied France and how he got involved with the French Resistance.” A tantalizing twist to see Stiller taking on such serious subject matter.
Along with recently finishing a documentary about his comedic duo parents with “Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost,” and on the acting side is expected to lead HBO‘s music industry dramedy “The Band.” Also, revealed in the interview that Stiller wants to make a movie based on Rachel Maddow‘s (MSNBC anchor) podcast “Bag Man,” about the bribery scandal focused on Richard Nixon’s vice president, Spiro Agnew.
We’re hardly in a position to be scared about Stiller removing himself entirely from the show, as there haven’t been any signs that they’ll be ending at Season 3 or closing the door for Stiller’s plausible return for Season 4.
That said, Season 2 of “Severance” has earned an impression 27 Emmy nominations, which could signal a bigger commitment from Apple, and why we likely shouldn’t get too worried that Stiller wants to do other things.
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