Like a lonely spirit wandering between the worlds of the living and the dead, a plan to remake cult kids’ TV series Rentaghost has been floating about for a while now. The most recent attempt – which saw Warner Bros. looking to acquire the rights for a Russell Brand star vehicle – faltered when everyone involved saw the box office receipts for Arthur. But now the mediums at 20th Century Fox have called the ghosts back from the ether, setting up a project that will see Ben Stiller teaming back up with Night at the Museum writers Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant.
While the original series, which ran on BBC One between 1976 and 1984 (kids, check out YouTube or grab the first series TV if you don’t know what we’re on about), focused on the misadventures of a company that provided spooks for specific hauntings, the new script will apparently bring things bang up to date. How so? Deadline reports that Stiller will play an American consultant drafted in to help the failing fortunes of the business. Because that’s what we all remember from Rentaghost, right? Scathing topical humour!* Also, a dodgy pantomime horse.**
Stiller’s Red Hour films will produce alongside the studio and all involved will no doubt be hoping that the writers can churn out another Museum-level success and kick off a fresh Stiller franchise. How you react to this news is likely dependent on your feelings towards that film and its sequel in the first place. Chances are some are already looking to see if a poltergeist can be sent to haunt Stiller and co…
*Sarcasm.
**Truth.