Segal Looks Set to 'Parent' Upcoming 'LITTLE FOCKERS'

Variety reports Pete Segal, the director of the hit comedy, Get Smart is the frontrunner to direct Little Fockers, the third installment in the Universal Pictures/Tribeca Prods. franchise. The trade paper reports that Segal's schedule has opened up as plans to make Get Smart 2 have been put on hold because Steve Carell has signed on to star in Date Night with Tina Fey for Fox.

This will be the first Focker film not directed by Jay Roach. The Hollywood Reporter had revealed last month that much rumored third installment of the 'Meet The Parents" comedy franchise, "Little Fockers", which was first announced two years ago, is finally taking 'baby steps' at Universal Pictures. 

The "Fockers" franchise, which began in 2000 with "Meet the Parents," stars Ben Stiller as Greg Focker, a liberal, do-no-right husband and Robert De Niro as his conservative, unforgiving father-in-law. HR reports that"Little Fockers" is expected to revolve around the children of Greg and his wife, Pam (Teri Polo), but sources say the script is being heavily worked on at present.

Stiller, De Niro and Owen Wilson are in negotiations to star in "Little Fockers." Owen, who had small parts in the first two pictures, could have an expanded role in the new film stated the Reporter.

There is no word if Barbra Streisand or Dustin Hoffman will appear in this installment, they starred in the original sequel, "Meet The Fockers".

Jay Roach, who directed the first two films, will produce "Fockers" but not direct the picture. He's concentrating on the comic feature "Dinner for Schmucks" for DreamWorks.

John Hamburg has been brought on to write the screenplay. Hamburg is a Stiller collaborator who wrote drafts of "Meet the Parents" and 2004's "Meet the Fockers" and worked with the star on "Along Came Polly." He also wrote and directed the just released comedy "I Love You, Man".

Peter Segal made his feature directorial debut with The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, and moved on to Tommy Boy, My Fellow Americans, and The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps before becoming Adam Sandler's chosen go-to director with Anger Management, 50 First Dates, and The Longest Yard.

The "Fockers" property has provided a reliable cash infusion for Universal, with the first two pics earning more than $800 million worldwide.

 

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