'Incredibly Dicey': Ben Stiller Doubts If He Could Make 'Tropic Thunder' Today

LOADINGERROR LOADINGBen Stiller says “Tropic Thunder” would be far too “dicey” of a prospect for today’s climate.Stiller was celebrated for co-writing, directing, co-producing and starring in the 2008 comedy, which satirized war movies and mocked the self-centered nature of certain actors who actually believe they’re changing the world.The film starred Robert Downey Jr.as Kirk Lazarus, a fictional Australian actor who uses blackface to portray an African-American soldier, which was certainly controversial at the time — but also earned him a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Oscar nod.Advertisement When asked by Collider if the film could even get made today, however, Stiller said simply: “I doubt it.”“Obviously, in this environment, edgier comedy is just harder to do,” he continued in the interview, published Sunday.

“Definitely not at the scale we made it at, too, in terms of the economics of the business.I think even at the time we were fortunate to get it made.”Stiller credited Steven Spielberg for making it happen.

He said that while it was “a very inside movie” for portraying meddling studio heads and production issues, the DreamWorks Pictures co-founder “read it and was like, ‘Alright, let’s make this thing.’”“But yeah, the idea of Robert playing that character who’s playing an African American character, I mean, incredibly dicey,” added Stiller.“Even at the time, of course, it was dicey too.

The only reason we attempted it was I felt like the joke was very clear in terms of who that joke was on — actors trying to do anything to win awards.But now, in this environment, I don’t even know if I would have ventured to do it, to tell you the truth.

I’m being honest.”Advertisement Downey, Stiller and Jack Black all portrayed actors starring in a Vietnam War film in "Thunder."Dave Hogan via Getty ImagesDowney himself recently reflected on the movie on Rob Lowe’s “Literally!” podcast.He s...