Ben Stiller invaded the zeitgeist like few have with 2001’s Zoolander, and fans have been clamoring to see the dimwitted male model character make his triumphant return ever since.  Movement on the follow-up finally began in 2010, with Tropic Thunder scribe Justin Theroux set to co-write the script and direct.  All seemed well and good until Paramount decided it had budgetary issues with the script, and the project has been in a state of limbo for the past couple of years.

Steve recently got the chance to talk with Stiller at the press day for the sci-fi comedy The Watch, and the actor gave a minor—yet slightly optimistic—update on Zoolander 2.  Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

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Steve asked Stiller for an update on the Zoolander sequel, to which the actor replied:

“We have a script, as we’ve had for a little while, and it’s not quite coming together right now but I hope it does.  I would like to do it at some point in the future.”

In other words, it sounds like Paramount is still dragging its feet.  Zoolander was stalled around the same time that the studio also passed on the Anchorman sequel due to similar budgetary concerns, but director Adam McKay threw a hail mary pass a few months ago in approaching Paramount once more about the Anchorman follow-up and that film is now geared up to start filming early next year.

Zoolander and Anchorman were in no way box office juggernauts, but both films gained a massive following once they hit DVD.  Stiller appeared on the most recent season of SNL as Zoolander to a wild reception, and I sincerely hope that the studio can come to the realization that there is enormous interest in seeing the character return to the big screen.  As Stiller told Steve, Zoolander 2 is still something that the actor would like to do in the future, so fingers crossed the project will finally see the light of day sometime soon.

Watch the portion of Steve’s interview where Stiller talks about the Zoolander sequel below, and look for the full interview later this week.