Steve Martin to Star in Pink Panther Film

Hollywood's remaking of the 1960s is set to continue with a new version of the Pink Panther, with Steve Martin playing the part of the world's worst sleuth, Inspector Clouseau.

The role was made famous in 1964 by Peter Sellers, but the French policeman's shoes have proved hard to fill. Roberto Benigni tried as Clouseau's love-child in The Son of Pink Panther in 1993, but the film was a flop, making only $2.5m at the box office.

Kevin Spacey was first mentioned as a possible Clouseau two years ago, when the project, then known as Pink Panther X, was launched, but he quickly distanced himself from the rumour. Mike Myers, of Austin Powers fame, was asked next, but the $20m he was reported to have asked for the job was deemed too high.

Chris McGurk, an MGM executive, confirmed yesterday that Martin had agreed to step into the breach.

The tenth Pink Panther film is part of a trend in which the film industry has excavated the 1960s. The nostalgia has taken the form of both spoof, as in the Austin Powers series, and homage, as with this year's The Italian Job and the forthcoming remake of Alfie.

The new Pink Panther film was first intended for release next April, on the 40th anniversary of the original, but the difficulty in finding a star has meant it will probably not be out until 2005.

To be called The Birth of the Pink Panther, it will be a prequel to the original. The young Clouseau will be called on to solve the murder of the manager of the French national football team while searching for the fabled diamond, the Pink Panther.

Despite the failure of the last few movies in the series, the Pink Panther has been one of the most successful franchises in film history. It made Sellers world famous, and established the career of its director, Blake Edwards, now 81, who will have a writing credit on the new film.

Such was its popularity that the cartoon panther in its opening credits became a star with a series of his own. According to Hollywood rumour, the cartoon panther will appear on screen in the prequel, mingling freely with the flesh-and-blood characters.