Ben Stiller to direct World War II film instead of Severance Season 3
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Ben Stiller has confirmed that he will not direct Season 3 of Severance for Apple TV+. Instead, beginning next spring, he will direct a new World War II film.
Stiller has not made a feature film since Zoolander 2 (2015), though in 2018 he directed episodes of the series Escape at Dannemora, followed by the dystopian series Severance, which earned both critical and audience acclaim.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Stiller is preparing to helm an as-yet-untitled WWII film about “survival,” set to begin production in spring 2026. No details about the plot or cast have been revealed.
Stiller directed six of the nine episodes of Severance Season 1 and five of the ten episodes in Season 2, while also serving as a producer. In addition to this new project, he is attached to direct The Seven Five for Amazon, written by Tony McNamara (The Favourite) and starring Jeremy Allen White, as well as Bag Man, based on Rachel Maddow’s podcast. Rumors also suggest he may be involved in a Twilight Zone reboot. Stiller’s past directing credits include cult favorites like The Cable Guy and Tropic Thunder.
Just two weeks ago, Stiller told Vanity Fair that Severance’s lengthy production schedules took a toll: “Chris Storer can shoot an episode of The Bear in an hour and a half… and I think: ‘Damn it… why can’t I?’”
