Paramount Pictures is moving forward with a new take on The Italian Job, with filmmaker Paul Feig reportedly in early talks to direct the project for the studio. The news arrives more than two decades after the 2003 remake starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron turned the property into a modern action staple.
Feig, best known for steering comedy hits like Bridesmaids and Spy, would represent a notable shift in tone if he signs on. While his résumé leans heavily toward humor, he has also demonstrated an ability to blend laughs with set pieces, as seen in the undercover-agent romp Spy and the supernatural caper Ghostbusters. Whether this new Italian Job would lean into the heist thrills of the original or introduce a more comedic spin remains unclear at this stage.
The 2003 film, directed by F. Gary Gray, followed Charlie Croker, played by Wahlberg, a career thief who assembles a crack team to pull off a massive gold heist in Venice. But the job goes sideways when one of their own, Steve (Edward Norton), double-crosses the crew and makes off with the loot. Croker and his surviving teammates, including a skilled safecracker named Stella Bridger (Theron), track Steve to Los Angeles, where they plot an elaborate counter-heist that culminates in a frenetic chase across the city’s streets, tunnels, and rooftops.
That picture, released on May 30, 2003, ran 110 minutes and earned a solid 6.8 rating on TMDb. It boasted a stacked ensemble that also included Seth Green as the tech-savvy Lyle, Jason Statham as the wheelman Handsome Rob, Yasiin Bey as the explosives expert Left Ear, Donald Sutherland as veteran thief John Bridger, and Olek Krupa as the menacing Russian mobster Mashkov. The film sits firmly in the action and crime genres, and its template - a clever team, a brutal betrayal, and a high-octane pursuit - helped it stand out in a crowded summer movie season.
The original Italian Job dates back to 1969, when Michael Caine starred in the British caper classic, famous for its Mini Cooper chase through Turin. That version had a lighter touch and a famously ambiguous ending, while the 2003 remake updated the setting to Los Angeles and gave the story a glossier, more muscular Hollywood feel. Paramount has been circling a new installment for years, with various writers and directors attached at different points, but momentum now appears to be building with Feig in the mix.
What a Feig-directed Italian Job might look like is open to speculation. He has shown a consistent knack for ensemble dynamics and sharp dialogue, qualities that could serve a heist movie well. The franchise’s core appeal has always been the chemistry among the crew - the banter, the grudges, the unlikely alliances. Feig has proven adept at fostering those kinds of on-screen relationships, even if his action credentials are less established.
The studio hasn’t confirmed casting, and no plot details have been released. The new film could follow a fresh crew taking on a new job, or it might attempt to connect to the events of the 2003 picture. Mark Wahlberg has occasionally expressed openness to reprising the role of Croker, but there’s no indication yet whether any original cast members would return. Given the ensemble-heavy nature of the source material, Paramount may look to build a brand-new team from the ground up.
For his part, Feig has moved between streaming projects and theatrical releases in recent years. He directed The School for Good and Evil for Netflix and has remained a sought-after name for studio comedies. A big-ticket action piece like this would mark a career pivot, though not an unheard-of one - many comedy directors have successfully crossed over into larger genre fare.
The revival of The Italian Job also fits a broader industry pattern. Studios have increasingly turned to recognizable titles with built-in audiences, especially those that haven’t been overexposed in recent years. The 2003 film remains well-regarded, and the 1969 version holds nostalgic value as well, but neither has spawned a direct sequel. That leaves plenty of room for a fresh interpretation that could introduce the property to a new generation.
Still, questions linger. The original’s charm was tied to its specific era of practical stunt work and pre-digital filmmaking. A modern update would have to balance the spectacle audiences now expect with the grounded tension that made the earlier movies work. Feig’s comedic sensibility could be the key to keeping the tone light enough to be fun, but the producers will also need to ensure the set pieces deliver on the promise of the title.
As talks are said to be in the early stages, no production timeline has been announced. Paramount has not issued a formal statement, and Feig’s representatives have not commented publicly. For now, the project remains one to watch, with a director known for laughs potentially steering a story built on speed, theft, and revenge.
Whether this version will include a fleet of Minis tearing through downtown traffic or introduce a whole new signature vehicle remains unknown. But with a director like Feig circling, audiences can likely expect a sharp script and a roster of memorable characters. More details are expected to emerge as the deal progresses, assuming negotiations move forward.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
