Seven years after his last movie, Jack Nicholson to star in remake of German comedy Toni Erdmann.

Jack Nicholson in one of his last big roles in The Departed. Photo/Supplied

He is one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, one of the few performers to have won three Oscars, a man responsible for dozens of iconic quotes and movies.

Now, nearly seven years after his last performance, Jack Nicholson has finally found a project to entice him out of retirement, the Daily Mail reports.

The legendary star, who's now 79, is set to star in a Hollywood remake of the Oscar-nominated German film Toni Erdmann.

Variety reports that it was Nicholson's own idea to do an English language version of the hit movie after catching it in cinemas.

The original movie, which stars Peter Simonischek and Sandra Huller, focuses on a father who decides to play a series of practical jokes on his career-oriented daughter.

The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year, and is nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards this month.

It will mark a return to the big screen for Nicholson who hasn't made a movie since How Do You Know with Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd in 2010.

In fact, he'd taken such a step back from movie-making that his longtime friend and Easy Rider co-star Peter Fonda suggested last month that he had "basically retired".

The last time Nicholson lead a movie was 2007's The Bucket List alongside Morgan Freeman.

However, it seems that such is the appeal of remaking Toni Erdmann, the actor is itching to get back to work.

He will be joined on the film by Kristen Wiig, according to Variety, is also attached to play his daughter and will serve as a producer on the film along with Will Ferrell and The Big Short director Adam McKay.

Paramount Pictures has not commented on the trade magazine's story and there is not yet a director attached to the project.

Nicholson has won Oscars for his roles in Terms of Endearment, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and As Good as it Gets, and is also known for his performances in The Shining and Chinatown.