Reboot fatigue is very real, and Paramount’s fans aren’t shy to share their opinions about it. News broke this week that Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy and A Simple Favor) is actually in early talks to direct a new, still-untitled sequel to 2003’s The Italian Job for Paramount. The new film is not to be confused with the studio’s previous scrapped follow-up called The Brazilian Job. This is something different. But the response is not quite the celebration the studio expected.
What fans were hoping for was probably along the lines of “finally!” But what they got was closer to “again?” In fact, the comments on Deadline’s recent Instagram post are pretty telling:
@heyitsnewt: “New title: The Retirement Job. New ideas not old ones yall.”
@coleeatsbrains: “All they do is sequels and reboots. What a second rate studio.”
Let’s not get it twisted, The Italian Job is a much-loved movie (7.0 IMDb rating), and there are plenty of us who are curious about what happens in part two, including @indieimmy, who commented: “Being a fan of the 2003 film I hope Wahlberg, Statham and others come back.”
The other issue is that the cast is now 20 years older, but whether or not they will return is not confirmed. Of course, none of the original cast has publicly ruled out the idea of returning for a sequel, even if Wahlberg, Theron, and Statham are now all anchored to their own franchises. This means scheduling a film like this could become tricky.
The Sequel Paramount Already Tried — and Buried
Feig’s reboot isn’t actually the first attempt at an Italian Job sequel. A sequel tentatively titled The Brazilian Job was delayed multiple times and was eventually completely discarded.
Seth Green, who played Lyle in the original, has joked about the failed sequel for years. He told Entertainment Weekly that IMDb had the project listed as “in production” for over four years.
So, are we being teased with another botched Brazilian Job? It doesn’t seem to be the case this time. Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, and TheWrap have all confirmed Feig is in active talks with Paramount and the sequel is currently looking for a writer to come on board. That means it’s still very much in the early stages and it could be another few years before we get an official release date.
One of the concerns from fans is that Feig has never actually made a straight heist film yet. But to be fair, his work on Bridesmaids and The Heat suggests this Italian Job might work well.
Where to Watch The Italian Job (2003) Right Now
The Italian Job is currently streaming on Paramount+ and Starz. It is also available to rent or buy on Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play. It’s worth a rewatch for the Mini Cooper chase alone before any casting news drops.
