Jack Nicholson and Kristen Wiig to Star in Toni Erdmann Remake

Posted by on February 8th, 2017   Filed under: Comedy, Drama, International, Remakes
Source: Variety

tonierdmannremake

With the German comedy Toni Erdmann currently getting a ton of critical praise and plenty of awards season recognition, a U.S. remake was already starting to seem like a foregone conclusion. Now this week we have confirmation that Paramount is indeed setting up an English language remake, and although it’s easy to imagine how a Hollywood version could get everything completely wrong, the primary cast is intriguing to say the least. Jack Nicholson is reportedly coming out of retirement to star in the film where he will play a retired jokester father who infiltrates the life of his adult daughter, who works as a corporate strategist. Kristen Wiig is attached to play his daughter. Hit the jump to find out what else we know.

According to Variety, Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights to remake the Oscar-nominated film Toni Erdmann with Jack Nicholson and Kristen Wiig attached to star. Nicholson has not appeared in a film since James L. Brooks’ 2010 film How Do You Know and was considered to be essentially retired, but he was such a big fan of Toni Erdmann that he decided to pursue the project. No writer or director is currently attached but Adam McKay (Anchorman, The Big Short), will produce along with Wiig, Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum of Gloria Sanchez Productions.

Toni Erdmann is a very funny movie but there is also a lot of stuff in it that is very uniquely European. The finale of the film in particular seems nearly impossible to imagine in a Hollywood film, so it will be interesting to see how they pull it off. Let’s hope that as Jack Nicholson projects go this one ends up closer to About Schmidt than The Bucket List. Do you have any interest in a Toni Erdmann remake? Who would you like to see direct?



  • The headline alone makes me roll my eyes.

    Jack Nicholson is so obviously the right choice that it’s the wrong choice. I will not see this.

    “Toni Erdmann is a very funny movie but there is also a lot of stuff in it that is very uniquely European.”

    This. I hate Hollywood remakes of foreign films that have very recently (like a year or two) been released. At best it will be adequate.

  • Sam

    I feel this would be incredibly toned down. Though depending on how serious the movie will be, meaning will it be just a raunchy silly comedy, or a serious comedy that is looking for awards but still raunchy at times. I’m not sure if I can picture Wiig eating a certain pastry and participating in the final set-piece at least with the same tone that Toni Erdmann does.

    I will actually see this as I’m just curious how this would translate especially with Nicholson. It’s slightly better than what I pictured them going with. I thought potentially an Al Pacino joint

  • schizopolis

    “Uniquely European” is code for nudism. First American comedy that won’t have an uncut version.