Ben Stiller is in talks to direct The Secret Life of Walter Mitty for 20th Century Fox, a project in which the actor is already attached to star.

Written by The Pursuit of Happyness scribe Steve Conrad, the film is a reimagining of the 1947 comedy starring Danny Kaye, which was originally based on a short story by James Thurber.

James Thurber's story is centered around a day-dreaming book editor who can't seem to do anything right, so he imagines all sorts of exciting lives for himself.

A long list of actors have circled the project, including Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen, as well as directors Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Gore Verbinski.

No production date has been set.