Ben Stiller’s There’s Something About Mary Getting Surprise New Adaptation 28 Years Later

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One of Ben Stiller‘s most iconic films is being reimagined in a brand-new way.

Bobby Farrelly recently told ScreenRant that he and his brother Peter are planning a Broadway musical version of their hit 1998 romantic comedy, There’s Something About Mary. The Farrelly brothers originally co-directed the film.

He explained that they have many ideas for songs and other creative elements, comparing the project to the popular Broadway show, The Book of Mormon.

The filmmaking team has been developing a stage version of their movie for some time now. As Farrelly explained, creating a Broadway musical is a lengthy process, but he’s optimistic that the There’s Something About Mary musical could premiere as early as next year.

Reflecting on his work on There’s Something About Mary, Farrelly noted that fewer comedies are being produced today. And when they are, they tend to have lower budgets, as studios aren’t as willing to invest in them as they once were.

He’s hoping to see a resurgence in comedy films, as it would create more opportunities for him and his brother to collaborate on projects beyond their musical work.

We’re turning our movie, There’s Something About Mary, into a Broadway musical. We have a lot of ideas for songs and are aiming for a similar style to The Book of Mormon. Pete and I are collaborating on it again. It’s been harder to get comedies made lately – they’re often made with smaller budgets and less time for filming, and this movie was no exception. It’s tough to secure funding for comedies because studios aren’t investing in them as much as they used to. If comedies start becoming more popular again, we’d love to collaborate on another film. But right now, we’re focused on the musical, which is a multi-year project, and we’re hoping to have it ready sometime next year.

Released in 1998, the romantic comedy There’s Something About Mary was a major success, earning $369 million despite a production budget of only $23 million. Critics also loved the film, giving it an 84% ‘Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie There’s Something About Mary stars Ben Stiller as Ted Stroehmann, who develops a strong romantic interest in a doctor named Mary Jensen, played by Cameron Diaz. The film also features appearances by Matt Dillon, Lee Evans, Chris Elliott, Lin Shaye, Jeffrey Tambor, Markie Post, and Sarah Silverman.

As a longtime follower of the Farrelly brothers, revisiting one of their early efforts after their breakout hits Dumb and Dumber and Kingpin is always interesting. Looking back, it’s clear this film helped solidify the comedic style they’d become known for – a style they’ve continued to refine over the years with movies like Me, Myself & Irene, Shallow Hal, Fever Pitch, Hall Pass, even their ambitious take on The Three Stooges in 2012, and the sequel Dumb and Dumber To. They’ve also ventured into television, most recently with Loudermilk, but this earlier work feels like a crucial stepping stone in their career.

Ben Stiller had acted in films such as Stella, Reality Bites, and The Cable Guy before, but his career really took off with the success of There’s Something About Mary.

The actor subsequently appeared in a string of popular comedies and films, including Meet the Parents, Zoolander, Starsky & Hutch, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Madagascar, Night at the Museum, Tropic Thunder, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and Happy Gilmore 2.

Recently, Ben Stiller has been working behind the scenes on the popular Apple TV+ thriller Severance, and it’s been picked up for another season. He also directed and starred in a documentary called Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, which is about his parents, the comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.

Ben Stiller’s classic comedy, There’s Something About Mary, is getting a stage adaptation, led by the Farrelly brothers. While details are currently scarce, we can expect announcements about the cast and creative team in the coming months if the production is set to premiere next year.

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2026-05-19 19:41