MacLaine Might Be Mitty's Mom

Shirley MacLaine is in talks to play the mother of Ben Stiller in the long-gestating remake of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" says Deadline.

Based on the 1947 Danny Kaye film which itself was based on a 1939 James Thurber short story, 'Mitty' follows a quintessential daydreamer whose vivid imagination allows him to escape from the mundane constraints of his ordinary life.

Writer Steve Conrad ("The Pursuit of Happyness") wrote the latest version of the script

Folks like Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen have all been linked to the lead role with various filmmakers like Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Mark Waters, Chuck Russell and Gore Verbinski involved at some point as well before Stiller agreed to star and direct.

The PG-rated action family pic does not have a production start yet