Ben Stiller Replacing Russell Brand in RENTAGHOST

Brand out, Stiller in.

Last year it was revealed that Russell Brand had been tapped by Warner Bros. to lead a big screen outing of the old British kid’s series ‘Rentaghost.’ Now it is being reported that Brand has dropped out of the project and that the screen rights have been snapped up by 20th Century Fox.

According to Deadline, the studio has set Ben Stiller to lead, with his ‘Night at the Museum’ scribes Tom Lennon and Robert Ben Garant attached to tackle the script.

The original series, which ran on BBC1 from 1976-84, centered on a supernatural film that rented out ghouls and ghosts to the living for a variety of tasks. Lennon and Garant’s take on the series will have Stiller playing “an American turnaround consultant who is sent to the UK to reinvigorate a failing company.” There is currently no director attached.

Still will next be seen starring alongside Eddie Murphy in Brett Ratner’s ‘Tower Heist’ when it hits Irish cinemas November 4th.