Tom Shadyac, Colin Firth and Paul Feig remaking French blockbuster The Intouchables?

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

In the 90s, Tom Shadyac was undeniably the biggest comedy director working in the Hollywood system. Responsible for comedy hits like ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE, THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, LIAR LIAR and BRUCE ALMIGHTY, the man was about as “can’t miss” as you could get. But in 2007, soon after EVAN ALMIGHTY came out (and flopped), Shadyac suffered a debilitating bicycle accident, one that effectively changed his life and opened his mind to new world of possibilities. He gave away much of his considerable fortune to charity and embarked on a documentary about his accident and the nature of humanity in the world. He stepped away from Hollywood completely.

After a long hiatus, however, it would seem as though Shadyac has found a project worthy of his return to feature filmmaking: a remake of the immense French hit THE INTOUCHABLES. The Weinstein Company, which released the dramedy domestically last year, has been looking to remake the film since they nabbed the rights, and Shadyac may be their man.

Based on a true story, THE INTOUCHABLES focuses on the friendship between a handicapped millionaire (Francois Cluzet) and his street smart ex-con caretaker (Omar Sy). The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humor between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common.

There are plenty of opportunities for irreverent comedy in that premise, and Shadyac can of course relate to one of the central ideas of a man suddenly handicapped by an injury. (In the film, the millionaire is injured in a hang-gliding accident.) It’s also worth noting that Shadyac has done the “comedy with heart” thing before; he’s the man responsible for PATCH ADAMS.

Colin Firth has tentatively been attached to star in the film, while BRIDESMAIDS director Paul Feig penned the screenplay. A pretty intriguing behind-the-scenes lineup if everything comes together, but since no one has signed on the dotted line yet, we’ll have to wait and see how things play out.

Check out the trailer for the original INTOUCHABLES below.