Looks like we’ll be in for some ghostly apparitions next year with movies such as ‘R.I.P.D.’ and now ‘Rentaghost’ as Deadline is reporting that 20th Century Fox has just acquired the rights to this supernatural British television show.
‘Rentaghost’ was originally being developed by Warner Bros. with the hopes of Russell Brand in the lead role. When Brand’s movie ‘Arthur’ bombed at the box office, he reportedly withdrew from the project. 20th Century Fox jumped on this opportunity and not only did they acquired the film rights but they have also contracted Ben Stiller to play the lead role of Fred Mumford. The screenplay will be written by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, the team who also penned the ‘Night at the Museum’ movies starring Stiller.
‘Rentaghost’ aired on the BBC from 1976-1984 and centered on a recently deceased Fred Mumford who is determined to be more worthwhile in his after-life than when he was living. So he sets up a temp agency renting out ghouls and goblins to the living. Of course, the best laid plans always don’t go the way Fred expects and things go awry.
Rumor has it that in the script that Lennon and Garant will write, the idea is for Stiller to play an American turnaround consultant who is sent to the UK to reinvigorate a failing company.
Stiller is at his best with comedic roles like these and is still considered to be a major draw in the theaters. Hopefully this same team can bring the same success to ‘Rentaghost’ as it did to the ‘Night at the Museum’ movies. Since this film is still in development, there is no information as to when the movie will premiere in theaters but we’ll keep an eye on this and deliver any news once it comes in. In the meantime, here’s the title sequence from the original series for those of you who may have watched the show:
