Studio Fox 2000 is developing a sequel to the 1993 smash comedy hit “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Academy Award winning actor Robin Williams and director Chris Columbus are set to return. “Elf” writer David Berenbaum is writing the script.
The original film centered around the character Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams,) who is an eccentric actor who specializes in dubbing voices for cartoon characters. Daniel is a kind man and a loving father to his three kids Lydia, Chris, and Natalie, but Daniel’s wife Miranda (Sally Field) sees him as a poor disciplinarian, and a bad role model. After Daniel throws an elaborate and disastrous birthday party for Chris, Miranda reaches the end of her limited patience, and files for a divorce. Daniel is heartbroken when Miranda is given custody of the kids and he’s only allowed to visit them once a week. Determined to stay in contact with his kids, Daniel discovers that Miranda is looking for a housekeeper, and with help from his brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein,) a makeup artist, Daniel gets the job, disguised as Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire, a Scottish nanny. Daniel pulls off the ruse so well that neither Miranda nor his children recognize him, and in the process, he learns some parenting tips. Daniel also has to deal with Miranda’s new boyfriend, a jerk named Stu Dunmeyer (Pierce Brosnan.)
“Mrs. Doubtfire” grossed over $441 million worldwide, and won two Golden Globe awards. A sequel was planned way back in 2001 with Bonnie Hunt set to write the script. Other writers were hired and the script went through a copious amount of drafts, but Columbus and Williams weren’t keen to any of the ideas for the sequel, and consequently the film slowly died.
Earlier this year, Berenbaum got involved with the project and interest has been reignited. It is reported that Williams and Columbus are attached and are hopeful about the outcome.
Studio heads Elizabeth Gabler and Marisa Paiva will oversee for Fox 2000.
Columbus is in preproduction on his latest film “Pixels,” the sci-fi adventure feature will star Adam Sandler and film in Toronto this summer.
Williams will be in the upcoming Lionsgate drama “The Angriest Man in Brooklyn,” which opens on May 23rd. He was also the star of the CBS’s comedy “The Crazy Ones,” which has since been cancelled after only one season.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, IMDb