Dick Van Dyke and Ed Asner almost teamed to remake a classic comedy from the 1960s, but the latter’s pᴀssing means the project will never happen. Van Dyke has been a constant figure in showbusiness since the 1940s, but rose to prominence in his eponymous sitcom in the early ’60s. Likewise, Ed Asner was a legend on the big and small screen for more than sixty years before his pᴀssing in 2021, and they are both part of a bygone era of Hollywood history. Nearing 100, Dick Van Dyke is a true elder statesman of entertainment who still dazzles today.

In a question-and-answer session at the Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp event in Malibu, California, Van Dyke revealed that he was planning to remake The Odd Couple with Ed Asner before Asner’s pᴀssing at the age of 91 in 2021 (via People). “That would’ve been such fun, and we lost it. I’ve lost a lot of friends,” said Van Dyke, before taking a more chipper tone when saying “life’s been good to me. I can’t complain.” No details about the remake are available, and it’s unclear how far along the Odd Couple remake was before Asner’s pᴀssing.

What Van Dyke’s Comments Mean For An Odd Couple Remake

The Odd Couple Has Been Remade As A TV Show Before

Starting on Broadway, The Odd Couple‘s 1968 movie adaptation is one of the best comedies from the ’60s, and was quickly developed into a TV show with a new cast. Van Dyke’s plans to remake the story are not the first time Hollywood has taken a stab at the classic film, and the concept was revived for a TV series in 2015 that ran for three seasons. It’s uncertain if Van Dyke and Asner’s version of The Odd Couple would have ever seen the light of day, but it’s unlikely that the project will move forward with someone else stepping in for Asner.

Our Take On Dick Van Dyke’s Plans To Remake The Odd Couple

An Interesting Idea That Might Have Worked A Few Decades Ago

Great buddy comedies are funny in any generation, but I’m not convinced that Dick Van Dyke and Ed Asner’s remake of The Odd Couple would have worked. Neither actor had any connection to the original movie or TV show, and Oscar and Felix are typically played by actors in their middle age at the latest. There’s no doubt that Asner’s prickly persona and Van Dyke’s optimistic style would have worked well together, but The Odd Couple remake would need to have made major changes to the original story.

Van Dyke still wows audiences with his vivacity as he nears 100, but Asner was noticeably slowing down in the final years of his career. Mostly appearing in cameo parts in low-budget movies, or voice acting, Asner might not have been up to the physical comedy challenges of bringing The Odd Couple to life. Alas, with the project likely never going to happen, it’s impossible to know what Dick Van Dyke‘s plans were for remaking The Odd Couple.