Paramount Pictures is looking to put The Italian Job back on the big screen, with Paul Feig in early talks to direct a follow-up to the studio’s 2003 action film.
The project is still in an early stage. Paramount is currently searching for a writer, and Feig’s involvement is not yet described as finalized. The prospective movie would follow the 2003 heist hit that starred Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton and Jason Statham.
That film, directed by F. Gary Gray, was itself inspired by the 1969 The Italian Job, which starred Michael Caine. The 2003 version followed Wahlberg’s Charlie Croker, a master thief who launches a revenge mission and assembles a team to pursue a stash of gold. Its action sequences, including scenes built around Mini Coopers racing through the story’s set pieces, became a major part of the movie’s identity.
Released in theaters on May 30, 2003, The Italian Job earned $176 million worldwide. According to the source material, that total made it Paramount’s highest-grossing release of that year. There were discussions at the time about making a sequel, but those plans did not materialize.
Feig’s potential move into the driver’s seat gives the long-discussed follow-up a new point of momentum, though the project remains at the stage of director talks and a writer search. No cast, plot details or production dates have been confirmed in the supplied information.
The filmmaker’s upcoming slate already includes The Housemaid’s Secret, a sequel to his hit 2025 feature The Housemaid. That thriller follow-up, adapted from author Freida McFadden’s work, is set to hit theaters in late 2027 from Lionsgate, with Sydney Sweeney and Kirsten Dunst attached.
Feig is also attached to direct the horror movie Detention for Blumhouse Atomic Monster. His career has included comedies such as Bridesmaids and The Heat.
The history of The Italian Job stretches back decades. A review of the 1969 film in The Hollywood Reporter noted, “Caine is in top form, though the script keeps him in short supply of rewarding material.” More than three decades later, Paramount’s 2003 version turned the title into one of the studio’s biggest performers of that year.
Deadline was first to report Feig’s planned follow-up to The Italian Job.
What Happens Next?
The next confirmed step is Paramount’s search for a writer while Feig remains in early talks to helm the film. Until a script, cast or start date is announced, the new Italian Job remains a developing project rather than a finished plan.