Last year, Spotlight star Mark Ruffalo got into a fun back and forth with Rogue One screenwriter Gary Whitta on Twitter about the possibility of bringing Columbo to the big screen. The response from fans to him possibly taking on the role of the beloved TV detective made famous by Peter Falk was overwhelmingly positive, but is it happening?

HeyUGuys’ own Cassam Looch caught up with Ruffalo at tonight’s UK premiere for Spotlight and pushed the actor for an update on the chances of him playing the famously taciturn detective. “Nothing’s happening with it,” the actor laughed. “Gary Whitta sort of started that online and it’s taken a life of its own. It would be fun to do, but I think some people reached out to, I think Universal has the rights, and they just didn’t seem that interested.”

Spotlight Premiere Interviews – Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Tom McCarthy

Asked how interested he is in making it a reality, Ruffalo revealed: “Are you freaking kidding me? It’s one of my favourites. Peter Falk is amazing. He did great stuff with that.”

He then explained how he would approach playing Columbo, and when asked to choose between playing the same character that Peter Falk did or something new, it sounds like he’s definitely keen to have a crack at following in the footsteps of Falk. “I don’t know, I think it has a lot to do with the tone they take with it. It would be fun to do a version of that guy.”

It’s a shame then that the studio don’t seem too keen on making a Mark Ruffalo led Columbo movie a reality, but providing the interest online remains the same, they could reconsider…