Like a mystical chalice in an overblown fantasy film, the lead role in the remake of 1964’s The Incredible Mr Limpet has been passed from actor to actor as the new version slowly develops over the years. But no one has come close to drinking from it, since the movie has never actually made it to the screen. But with a new team behind the camera, Warner Bros is now chatting up T****he Hangover’s Zach Galifianakis to take on the role.
Let’s step back in time a moment, shall we? (Please imagine some suitably bland, Disneyland ride-style muzak here)… The original film starred Don Knotts as the blandly ineffectual Henry Limpet. How do we know he’s a bit of a lightweight? His big wish is to be turned into a fish. Thanks to a little magic, he gets his way and ends up a hero as he helps the US Navy to hunt German submarines during World War Two. No, we’re not making that last bit up.
Robin Williams, back in his family comedy/Flubber days, was one of the first big names attached to a new take. Later the name attached was Jim Carrey, when he still had some real heat. He’s been offered just about every comedy project going in his time and in 2006, it looked like he might actually commit to it. But no dice.
After various other actors passed, the whole thing came bubbling back up to the surface of development hell last year when Enchanted director Kevin Lima was handed the reins given his experience with the Disney film’s blend of live-action and animation, one of the more important aspects of the Limpet tale.
Johnny Depp was briefly rumoured to be interested (what, he doesn’t have enough sea salt in his hair after making the Pirates movies?), but that never went beyond hearsay. Which brings us to Galifianakis, who has slowly but surely building his cinematic stature post-Hangover, and has Todd Phillips’ comedy follow-up **Due Date **under his belt. He might not have been a leading man before, but perhaps Warner, which saw him break out as a star, and snapped him up for The Hangover 2, might just think he’s ready to become one.
It’s in early talks for now, so if Galifianakis turns it down, expect the chalice to keep right on moving…