Alan Arkin is reported signed to play the Chief opposite Steve Carell (the two were already in Little Miss Sunshine together) in an upcoming Get Smart! movie. Normally I’m horrified by this sort of thing, but I have to say, Carell seems about perfect to step into Don Adam’s shoe phones. There’s a lot more promise here than with Steve Martin’s Pink Panter, anyway.
Arkin, however, seems to me less apt to replace Edward Platt. The Chief is almost entirely a straight man, and thus should not be played by a comic actor. Arkin if a very funny guy who certainly isn’t going to stink up the joint, but somebody like a Fred Thompson would be a lot closer to the mark. Dennis Haysbert would also be right on the money, only you’d have to make sure that he plays the thing as serious and deadpan as possible.
