'Little Fockers' Isn't Comedy Gold?

What a terrible day this is shaping up to be. First my internet machine stops working, now I'm finding out Little Fockers is somehow less than exceptional? YES. Possibly. According to Deadline and Vulture, the third tale of the tiresomely joyless relationship between Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller isn't looking so great in the editing suite, which could lead to Universal bringing Dustin Hoffman--right now mercifully absent from this Focker excursion--into the film in some reshoots. (Because the issue is definitely that the film isn't cluttered with enough stars.) The studio, naturally, is denying the film is in trouble, with Universal Pictures Chairman Adam Fogelson telling the LA Times a different story altogether. It turns out this film is great, guys! And, sure, they're asking Dustin Hoffman to be in it, but it's not like they're begging him. Just a fun, casual offer, like seeing if he wants the rest of their fries, or if he wants to get a huge paycheck to be in a shitty comedy sequel:

"We're incredibly delighted to have a film that's already scored as well as it has [in test screenings] six months before its release."

... "As we're continuing to refine the film, one of the ideas that's certainly a possibility is having Dustin be a part of the picture," he explained. "We didn't call him and say that we desperately need his help or anything like that. But there is one path that we're pursuing that could include his involvement. If Dustin decides that he wants to do it and has a real interest in being involved, and if it worked for the film, then we'd love to make it happen, but nothing at all has been decided yet."

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

(Thanks, big jerm.)