Third ‘Romancing’ In The Works

Thirteen years after Michael Douglas’ star-making role in “Romancing the Stone,” 20th Century Fox is developing a third installment in the series.

Sources said screenwriter Janus Cercone (“Leap of Faith”) is working on the script, which is being developed by Fox’s Tom Rothman and Hutch Parker. Jack Brodsky, one of the producers on the first two movies, is also producing the third.

No deal is in place for Douglas to star, but sources close to him said he was interested in appearing in the film.

It is uncertain whether Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito, who co-starred with Douglas in the first two films, will appear in the third.

“Romancing the Stone” took in a then-whopping $74.9 million at the domestic box office when it was released in 1984. In addition to vaulting Douglas into the A-list actor category, it jump-started director Robert Zemeckis’ floundering career.

At that point, Zemeckis’ directorial outing, “Used Car,” had been a flop, as had been “1941,” the script he wrote with Bob Gale that Steven Spielberg directed. Zemeckis is not involved with the new “Stone.”

“Jewel of the Nile,” a 1985 sequel to “Romancing the Stone,” earned $65.5 million in its 1985 release.