Ben Stiller Stars in Noah Baumbach's Next Film

It doesn't have a title yet (which makes it very difficult to report on), but that's not stopping production from getting underway on writer/director Noah Baumbach's (Margot at the Wedding) next movie starring Ben Stiller. Stiller recently completed work on Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian and has about a million other projects in the works. Okay, slight exaggeration there... But Stiller does have Little Fockers, a Cameron Crowe movie, and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (which he's set to direct) in various stages of pre-production. Despite a very busy schedule, Stiller was available for long enough to allow room for a starring role in Baumbach's film to squeeze onto his calendar. Joining Stiller in the untitled Focus Features film will be Jennifer Jason Leigh (who co-conceived the story with Baumbach and is producing the film), Rhys Ifans, Brie Larson, Juno Temple, Mark Duplass and Greta Gerwig.

Focus Features' press release announcing the start of production provided this tidy little synopsis: "At a crossroads in his life, Roger Greenberg (Stiller) ends up housesitting at his brother's home in Los Angeles. There, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with his brother's assistant Florence (Gerwig), an aspiring singer. Florence and Greenberg's encounters lead to an uncertain and wonderfully vulnerable courtship." Focus also provided this nifty quote from Focus CEO James Schamus: "It's a privilege and a pleasure to finally be making a movie with Scott, Jennifer and Noah, and one that will showcase Ben as an actor. This script has the hallmarks of Noah's best work, and then some; heart and soul interlaced with biting wit. Filmgoers worldwide will find themselves emotionally engaged by and with these splendidly realized characters."
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