Ben Stiller hasn’t directed a feature since 2015’s “Zoolander 2” — a misstep he probably wishes he could file away in the “never happened” drawer. The absence, however, hasn’t been inactivity. Stiller has reinvented himself as one of television’s most efficient and surprisingly daring directors.
2018’s “Escape at Dannemora” was the warm-up. Then came “Severance” in 2022, the dystopian, minimalist sci-fi office nightmare that became one of the most acclaimed series of the decade. Critics swooned, audiences obsessed, and Apple TV+ found itself with a prestige hit.
Stiller has confirmed he won’t direct the upcoming third season, which frees him up for something bigger: a return to features.
According to The L.A. Times, he’s now prepping an untitled WWII “survival” film, aiming for a spring 2026 shoot. No further details were mentioned, but of all the projects he currently has in development, this one came out of nowhere.
His directorial exit from “Severance” should be noted. Stiller directed 6 of the 9 episodes of the first season and the bulk of season two. He’s been very hands-on as producer and creative lead as well.
Stiller has a packed pipeline — Amazon/MGM’s “The Seven Five,” written by Tony McNamara (“The Favourite”) and set to star Jeremy Allen White; a film adaptation of Rachel Maddow’s “Bag Man,” digging into the bribery scandal of Nixon’s vice president Spiro Agnew; and Warner Bros.’ long-gestating “Twilight Zone” movie, which he’s been quietly developing.
For all the jokes about “Zoolander 2,” Stiller’s track record as a director is more than decent: “Reality Bites,” “The Cable Guy,” “Zoolander,” “Tropic Thunder,” “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” If the WWII project comes together, it’ll mark the next chapter in an unpredictable career that’s already seen him shape shift, successfully, from comedy star to director.