It looks like I will finally have something to ask Jim Carrey at the upcoming Fun With Dick and Jane press junket. The rubbery (I believe that is the officially sanctioned adjective for him) actor will be starring as Ripley, of Believe it or Not fame, in a new film from Tim Burton.
It’s a huge announcement – the Ripley film has been coming for some time, with it being described as a goofier Indiana Jones story, following Ripley as he explores the world looking for wolf faced boys and ducks in shoes. This, by the way, is a direct rip off of a film I wanted to make about Charles Fort, but hey, water under the bridge. Johnny Depp had been mentioned in the Ripley role – quite possibly because Burton was in talks to direct.
At the Toronto Film Festival Burton seemed pretty happy to take some time away from the movie business and chill out, but I can imagine that the old Ripley comics were important to him as a kid. They were to me as well – between Ripley and Charles Berlitz it’s sort of amazing that I didn’t become a cryptozoologist or parapsychologist.
Carrey has a lot of his plate before he dons Ripley’s pith helmet. He’s starring in the thriller Number 23, and then the comedy Used Guys, alongside Ben Stiller.
The real question is will Burton find room for Jack Palance in this film? Actually, the real question is, is Jack Palance still alive?