Ben Stiller Is Still Interested in Bringing Back Tom Cruise’s ‘Tropic Thunder’ Character, Les Grossman

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Ben Stiller has hinted again that he might return as Les Grossman, his memorable character from a previous film, though not necessarily in a direct sequel. While discussing his Apple TV+ series Severance and the new Meet the Parents sequel, Focker-In-Law, in an interview with Esquire, Stiller was asked about the possibility of bringing Les Grossman back to the screen. He responded by saying:

Absolutely. I’m not sure if we’d make a direct sequel to Tropic Thunder, but we’ve definitely considered doing something else set in that same universe. Tom and I have discussed it. I’ve made a lot of sequels, and with projects like Meet the Fockers, you really need a good reason to revisit those characters and make sure any new story does them justice. That’s the tricky part.

When asked if Ben Stiller’s character, Les Grossman, might get involved with AI or another new project, Stiller playfully responded, “I think Les Grossman is going to buy Netflix.”

Look, Tom Cruise is an action icon – we all know that from Mission: Impossible and Jack Reacher. But his latest, a dark comedy directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu called Digger, really reminded me of his hilarious turn as Les Grossman. It feels like we might be getting another dose of that delightfully over-the-top character sooner rather than later, and honestly, I’m here for it!

‘Tropic Thunder’ Is One of the Best Satires Ever Made About Hollywood

Whenever the movie Tropic Thunder is brought up, discussions often turn to Robert Downey Jr.’s character and the use of blackface. But many viewers have overlooked the film’s actual satire, which was a commentary on the state of Hollywood when it was released.

You know, Ben Stiller talked about how there was a potentially tricky element to the character he was playing, but it all worked out because the joke was actually about the lengths actors will go to for awards. He basically said the target of the satire – Hollywood’s awards season desperation – saved the whole thing.

Looking back, the concept of Robert portraying a character pretending to be African American was really risky. It was already a sensitive topic when we made the show, but the only reason we went ahead with it was because I thought the humor clearly targeted actors who will do anything for awards. Honestly, though, in today’s climate, I’m not sure I’d even try to do that scene now.

For years, people have debated how well Hollywood handles sensitive topics. Now, with so much focus on avoiding offense, it’s difficult to create something nuanced and witty like the movie Tropic Thunder. There’s a tendency for people to react quickly without fully understanding the joke or who it’s actually about.

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Ben Stiller has been considering revisiting his character Les Grossman, who’s known for being incredibly unpleasant and having some problematic qualities. Perhaps a movie focused on Les Grossman is exactly what Hollywood needs to shake things up.

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2025-12-28 20:48