Dustin Hoffman Rejoins 'Little Fockers' at 11th Hour

It's been a long time since I've said, "You know, that movie needed more Dustin Hoffman." Hard to blame the guy for cashing checks, but his last Oscar nomination was 13 years ago, and that - for Wag the Dog - was really a sign of a bad year. I mean, Robin Williams won an Oscar that year. Ditto Kim Basinger. ...And Helen Hunt.

So Hoffman is having fun and that's fine, except that he's incredibly hammy these days. He gave us a lot of good performances once upon a time, however. But when you read that Hoffman will be back for Little Fockers - or Meet the Parents: Little Fockers, as it insists on being called - you have to wonder what's wrong with the movie. The Other Hoff was offered a chance to return but passed, probably over money but officially because he didn't think it was worth scheduling around a couple days on set. Deadline says Hoffman will return, at his original price, but Universal swears the movie's great even without him, insisting that test audiences scored it an 85, but "we want to make it better. It's an investment in the future of the franchise."

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Dustin Hoffman May Be in 'Little Fockers' After All

The three principal cast members of Little Fockers (or maybe Meet the Parents: Little Fockers as we discussed yesterday) are all getting a shitload of money. Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, and even Owen Wilson are all making ten-digit salaries.

But Universal couldn't come to terms with Dustin Hoffman, who will usually do anything and not even for much money. So he's not in Fockers. Or not yet. Calling the threequel "troubled," New York Magazine says Universal is trying to convince Hoffman to return for a minor role. The film has already gone back in front of cameras for what the studio and the magazine describe as pick up shots, little gap fillers that will help key scenes go together more smoothly, but the idea could be expanded.

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New Poster for 'Meet the Parents: Little Fockers'

There's a new poster for Little Fockers, and yeah, it's Photoshopped a little bit too much, but that's what we expect most of the time. And the design's boring. But there's something else here we want to talk about.

Poster Courtesy of Empire Did they officially change the name to Meet the Parents: Little Fockers? I guess, in a way, it makes some sense, even if the name "Fockers" on its own gave Universal the second-biggest comedy of all time.

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The 'Little Fockers' Trailer Is A Lot Focking Annoying

Here's the deal: Several months back, the salaries for Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, and Owen Wilson returning for Meet the Fockers were announced. I believe it was $20 million each for Stiller and Bobby D and $15 million for the Butterscotch Stallion. I hope I'm remembering that incorrectly, because that's a ton of money for any movie. Do the math on that.

Now, Meet the Fockers is one of the biggest comedies ever, so the studio - Hollywood's current whipping boy, Universal - feels justified in wasting millions on these paychecks. What clearly didn't get that much attention is the script. Watch this trailer and laugh. I dare you. I mean, the Thanksgiving mishap gag and a Viagra joke? That's the best they could do? For over $50 million paid to three actors? No wonder Universal keeps hemorrhaging.

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Dustin Hoffman Out of 'Little Fockers'?

If conditions hold, it looks as though Dustin Hoffman is out of Little Fockers. Entertainment Weekly says Hoffman wants a more sizable role in the threequel, in addition to squabbles about the shooting schedule.

Although Hoffman was not going to carry much of the action - he was only planned for an extended cameo - it does crack the shell of this movie just a little bit. Le Babs will still play Ben Stiller's mother, according to the report, which neither Hoffman's reps nor Universal would confirm nor deny.

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