UPDATES ‘Little Fockers’ Needs A Week Of Pickups
I’ve confirmed that those pickup shots which I first reported that Universal has scheduled for September on Little Fockers are now more than half a dozen full-blown scenes, including 4 with Dustin Hoffman. The notoriously difficult actor was written out of the Meet The Parents threequel altogether when Universal couldn’t reach a deal with him. But John Hamburg and Jay Roach helped convince Dustin to reprise his role which is “not dissimilar to what we were pitching him in the beginning,” an insider tells me. Hoffman won’t come cheap. 
“It’s costing what we were going to pay him in the first place,” my insider explains. Fortunately for the studio, the film was under budget, but even so it’s at least a $100M film. Hoffman will star in some pivotal scenes opposite Barbra Streisand, and then in a big scene at the end of the movie involving all the major characters. Other pickup scenes focus on Ben Stiller and the kids. Universal continues to spin that Little Fockers could have gone out “as is” since it scored an “85” for the top 2 boxes with test audiences. “But we want to make it better. It’s an investment in the future of the franchise.” So we’ll see whether the threequel still set for release in December kills Universal’s golden goose.
As I’ve said before, watching the sausage being made when it comes to major studio laughers isn’t pretty. At one point, Universal contemplated replacing director Paul Weitz with producer-writer Hamburg. But that would have resulted in a DGA mess. Plus, Adam Fogelson had just taken over as chairman and didn’t want to throw the already traumatized studio into a worse funk. So the decision was made to fix the movie in post. Then, Weitz, Hamburg, Jay Roach, and Ben Stiller spent two months going through the footage and decided the week of pickups with all the principal cast was required.
This is great news.
Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand were the best thing about FOCKERS. They had a great chemistry as a couple and a comic dynamic with De Niro and Stiller.
I second your opinion! I’m looking forward to this movie :D
totally agree! Hoffman and Streisand made Meet The Fockers watchable. Now I might go see this. They were morons trying to be cheap on a 100 million dollar budget.
Actually the movie tested SO WELL, Universal was finally willing to pay Hoffman’s fee.
That sounds like a lot of cooks for one kitchen.
Hopefully it’s just gags their tinkering with. Because it’s pretty hard to “fix” story in post.
For the future of the franchise? How many of these things do they intend to make?
was thinking the same thing.
Hoffman was wise to stay away – this film looks god awful. But money talks.
i would not have gone to the movie if hoffman was not in it
george novogroder
$100 million?!
For this?
do your math. Ben’s salary. DeNiro’s salary. Owen’s salary. Hamburg’s salary. Weitz’s salary. Jay Roach’s producing fee. Shits adds up. That’s just the above the line which probably is 60+, so 40 below the line ain’t so bad.
Whatever they pay the editor, it could never be enough.
The first one was great! The second was awful – and they know it. I hope this is a good one. I’m not showing up until I hear it’s worth it.
welcome back Dusty. Now I’ll definitely see this film. My dream cast for the Little Fockers 4 includes DeNiro, Hoffman AND Al Pacino.
Why anyone hires Weitz now is confounding. He killed a franchise before it even started with Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, made the bomb American Dreamz, and now apparently was barely able to handle this film. His brother isn’t doing much better, having killed a franchise of his own with The Golden Compass.
Weitz is crap. I’ve seen his 2 disaster American Pie and New Moon and the guy is just blows. Wonder why Jay Roach backed out as a director on this. Too bad.
You’re talking about two different people, bud. Paul Weitz directed Little Fockers. His brother, Chris, directed New Moon. They directed the first American Pie movie together.
I kind of like Paul though. American Dreamz was bad, but In Good Company was a very smart flick. And I think the marketing was what killed Cirque du Freak, starting with their desperation to cash in on the vampire fad by changing the title to The Vampire’s Assistant.
American Pie is a “disaster?” Are you insane? It was an $11M movie that launched a $1B in revenue for Universal. That is why Paul was allowed to make a personal film for a price like American Dreamz. He took a chance on a movie in the zeitgeist. It didn’t work. At least he made a movie he believed in. Your untalented ass is jealous because you’re still sitting on the sidelines.
You should focus on your grammar skills before you start typing nonsense. The Weitz Bros. are talented filmmakers who like to challenge themselves with material that may be unconventional at times. Additionally, they are the best two individuals you’ll find in this town, or anywhere. No one has a perfect batting average but it is pretty convenient that you forgot they were nominated for an Oscar for About A Boy. New Moon isn’t my cup of tea as a subject matter but it made $700M worldwide so it obviously worked for its audience. If you’re going to spread jealousy and hatred, go after the guys who did “Vampires Suck.”
Oh, and Golden Compass did $372M worldwide. He didn’t kill Golden Compass, Nicole’s lips did.
That the first Fockers was ever made, and Glenn Beck – Evidence the Mayan calendar may have called it. And now “Little Fockers” has me hoping the end comes sooner rather than later.
The 2nd film, Meet the Fockers, cost only a little less and made $580 million, world wide theatrical. Not a bad rate of return. Can I buy in?
A lot of people liked the second film better than the first, partly because of Hoffman and Barbra. If you are going to cast them why not write them a few scenes? Nothing worse than gratuitous cameos.
Good news he is back.
I am soooo glad they are making this new movie Little Fockers. Can’t wait to see the whole crew- only wish they had made it when Pam was pregnant and we got to see the kids born. The whole cast is awesome and I am so glad everyone will be back. I will be one the first to see it and to buy the dvd when it comes back. I thought the first 2 movies were awesome and great entertainment and I am sure this one will be to!!! Give us a 4th movie please!!!
I in no way mean offense to Mr. Hoffman but aren’t there many other actors out of work and also in the same union who are just as capable and talented who would be a better choice financially giving that much more for for the budget for this film?
Ummm, you do know that Dustin Hoffman plays Ben Stiller’s father in “Meet The Parents,” don’t you? With whom are they going to replace him?
I loved both of the movies. I think Dusty and Barbara are the best
and Ben Stiller, has me laughing so hard, I am rolling on the floor.
I would even welcome a fourth, Meet The Parents.
Oh boy. Over-tanned Dunstin Hoffman hamming it up with a bunch of bloated 60-somethings, chewing the scenery and mugging it all the way to the bank. Universal must be seriously desperate. Perhaps they should have spent the Hoffman money on a 3-D conversion instead.
I kinda don’t want this movie to happen. But I’ll see it anyway, and I love him.
very very classic, smart move to bring on board, mr dustin hoffmann. have always enjoyed this actor, very very smart idea. kep up the good work again a no brainer with dustin on board/
Yayyy! Another Ben Stiller movie! I would love to see how will the story go. And it’s not just Ben, there’s Robert, Owen and Dustin of course, it’ll be totally hilarious! Who will the lil Fockers be?
I’m very happy that Dustin Hoffman signed on. He and Barbra totally “made” the last film. When there was talk that he was not going to do ‘Little Fockers’ I thought, hmmm!! “would Barbra do this film without him”? Didn’t seem to make sense.
dumb movie