Vince Vaughn To Lead Universal's Big Screen Reboot Of 'The Rockford Files'

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by Kevin Jagernauth
April 17, 2012 2:40 PM
5 Comments

While Sony is celebrating the success of "21 Jump Street" and the rest of Hollywood dusts off various TV reboots they've had sitting in drawers, for Vince Vaughn, he's been there and done that already. In 2004 he teamed with Owen Wilson and director Todd Phillips for "Starsky & Hutch" carrying the film to over $170 million worldwide, which is not a bad chunk of change at all. And it looks like Universal are hoping the actor can work the same magic on a property they have been developing.

Deadline reports that Vaughn will produce and take the lead in "The Rockford Files," based on the hit show that made James Garner a star. If you're too young to remember, the show followed a private investigator who used his wits, not necessarily his brawn, to solve a new case each week. And the show was largely carried by Garner's charm, and of course, he always found time for romance. And while you might be rolling your eyes at yet another movie made from a TV reboot, this one brings with it some interesting talent. "Rounders" and "Ocean's Thirteen" scribes David Levien and Brian Koppelman are penning the screenplay, and if anyone can do entertaining and smart, it's these guys. So it's off to a good start.

This one is likely still a ways off, however. First off, a director needs to be found, and this summer Vaughn is reteaming with his Hutch for Shawn Levy's "The Internship." And as for Koppelman and Levien, this is another project in a quicky growing slate. Their online gambling tale "Runner Runner" recently landed Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake with "The Lincoln Lawyer" helmer Brad Furman directing and they've got a big screen version of the memoir "The Game" with James Franco in the works. All this said -- let's hope the movie keeps the awesome theme song from the show.

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More: The Rockford Files, Vince Vaughn, Universal Pictures, David Levien, Brian Koppelman

5 Comments

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Zinjo | April 17, 2012 4:48 PMReply

Of all the actors to reprise the character Vaughn is a great choice. James Garner is a brilliant comedic actor and so long as the story isn't hammy, it could really take off. Rockford was a guy just trying to make a living and finding himself in situation that simply exasperated him and he'd have to cleverly negotiate mine fields to wriggle himself out of them. If the film takes the spirit of the series and transplants it to the screen, Vaughn can easily make that work.

I guess we'll see if they can do it?
Christopher Gipson | April 17, 2012 3:52 PMReply

Vince Vaughn? Yeesh. Oh yeah, Maverick made him the star, yo.
Stephen B | April 17, 2012 3:15 PMReply

If they have to do it, I hope they do it straight and don't make it a Brady Bunch/Starsky & Hutch style parody. This was a good show. Levien and Koppleman being involved makes me cautiously optimistic. Keep David Dobkin away from Vaughn for a while.
dq | April 17, 2012 2:45 PMReply

boo
Yod | April 17, 2012 11:26 PM

Arrrggh, you scared me.