Noah Baumbach and Ben Stiller teamed up to make the unforgiving, mean, and totally unpleasant Greenberg, and I really hoped they'd leave it at that. But Variety is now reporting that the two are considering teaming up again to adapt the classic children's book Mr. Popper's Penguins, with Stiller presumably starring as the man who winds up with a whole brood of the Arctic birds and Baumbach writing and directing.

Yes, Baumbach did share writing duties on The Fantastic Mr. Fox, which was one of my favorite films of 2009. But how many ways can I say no to this idea? Not only has Stiller already done the whole "guy overwhelmed with unruly creatures" kids movie thing with the two Night at the Museum movies, but Baumbach's mean streak doesn't seem likely to be diluted in a children's film-- didn't you see how mean Mr. Fox could be to Ash? I loved Mr. Popper's Penguins as a kid, and I've loved some of Baumbach's films in the past, but Greenberg has me convinced he needs to stay far, far away from beloved childrens' stories until he gets some of that acid out of his system.