New Muppet Movie to be Filled with Cameos

[MelissaY1]

Timmy makes a good point... let's compare.

The Muppet Movie cameo stars:

1. Edgar Bergen
2. Milton Berle
3. Big Bird
4. Mel Brooks
5. James Coburn
6. Dom DeLuise
7. Elliot Gould
8. Bob Hope
9. Madeline Kahn
10. Carol Kane
11. Cloris Leachman
12. Steve Martin
13. Richard Pryor
14. Telly Savalas
15. Orson Welles
16. Paul Williams

Compare that to the list of rumored cameo celebrities we have in this new one...

1. Alan Arkin
2. Jack Black
3. Billy Crystal
4. Zach Galifianakis
5. Jean-Claude Van Damme
6. Jane Lynch
7. Paul Rudd
8. Rashida Jones
9. Danny Trejo
10. Ed Helms
11. John Krasinski
12. Donald Glover
13. Eric Stonestreet
14. Kristen Schaal
15. Lady Gaga

Even with all of the rumored celebrities for the movie, we don't even have as many as The Muppet Movie. I think what's important to keep in mind is that most, if not all, of the celebrities mentioned above will have one quick scene in the movie at most--much like Edgar Bergen or Richard Pryor did in The Muppet Movie. I don't think there's any need to worry about the cameo stars taking any of the focus away from The Muppets.

Granted, Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, and Rashida Jones are apparently playing pretty substantial roles... but again, Cooper is the villain, Jones seems to be playing a Max-esque character, and Segel and Adams seem to have Jenny/Ronnie Crawford type roles going on. I don't think we have much to worry about.

Yeah but at least at the time of the original early Muppet films, the celebrities that had cameos were pretty for the most part legendary stars, not "flavor of the month" actors like the people who are rumored to be in this new film. It's still thrilling to see Orson Welles turn around in his chair at the end of the Muppet Movie. Is anyone 20, 30 years from now going to be excited that Zach Galifianakis was in this? The people in the earlier films were and still are timeless, these people...not so much.

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah but at least at the time of the original early Muppet films, the celebrities that had cameos were pretty for the most part legendary stars, not "flavor of the month" actors like the people who are rumored to be in this new film. It's still thrilling to see Orson Welles turn around in his chair at the end of the Muppet Movie. Is anyone 20, 30 years from now going to be excited that Zach Galifianakis was in this? The people in the earlier films were and still are timeless, these people...not so much.

Yes, but these are the kind of actors that the director and writers would work with in their other films. If the Muppet film was done by Tim Burton (perish the thought), we'd have Johnny Depp and Helen Carter in there. It's writer/director preference. It's not unusual to have stock actors that are in every project at the hands of certain film makers. It's not like Disney gave them a list of "This is who we want in the film" (thank frog they didn't, or it would be nothing more than a bunch of Disney pop stars), these people are hand chosen, in some cases friends, of the writers/director in question.

And I wouldn't go so far as to say the original muppet movies had nothing but timeless cameos. Sure, it had Orson Welles and Charles Durning and Bob Hope in it... but Telly Savals was pretty much a flavor of the month at the time... Madeline Kahn was very popular at the time the film was made, and yet she still managed to have a respectable career until her all too early passing... Steve Martin was in his career's infancy when he did the movie. Now he's so famous he doesn't even have to do anything. You can never tell who's going to be timeless and who isn't until 10...20 years down the line. Jack Black's had movies solidly coming out for 10 years or more... Jean Claude wazzisface hasn't had a movie in years (that I know of).

 

[MuppetDanny]

And I wouldn't go so far as to say the original muppet movies had nothing but timeless cameos. Sure, it had Orson Welles and Charles Durning and Bob Hope in it... but Telly Savals was pretty much a flavor of the month at the time... Madeline Kahn was very popular at the time the film was made, and yet she still managed to have a respectable career until her all too early passing... Steve Martin was in his career's infancy when he did the movie. Now he's so famous he doesn't even have to do anything. You can never tell who's going to be timeless and who isn't until 10...20 years down the line. Jack Black's had movies solidly coming out for 10 years or more... Jean Claude wazzisface hasn't had a movie in years (that I know of).

If Jean-Claude Van Damme is in this film it won't be his last family film, I believe he will be in "Kung Fu Panda 2"

 

[KermieBaby47]

Yeah but at least at the time of the original early Muppet films, the celebrities that had cameos were pretty for the most part legendary stars, not "flavor of the month" actors like the people who are rumored to be in this new film. It's still thrilling to see Orson Welles turn around in his chair at the end of the Muppet Movie. Is anyone 20, 30 years from now going to be excited that Zach Galifianakis was in this? The people in the earlier films were and still are timeless, these people...not so much.

True for the most part, except for the first three:

1.Alan Arkin
2.Jack Black
3.Billy Crystal

These guys have made the long haul, maybe Jack Black not so much, but everybody does know who the guy is. Plus, he's hilarious, so he's got that going for him, lol.

 

[MelissaY1]

True for the most part, except for the first three:

1.Alan Arkin
2.Jack Black
3.Billy Crystal

These guys have made the long haul, maybe Jack Black not so much, but everybody does know who the guy is. Plus, he's hilarious, so he's got that going for him, lol.

Alan Arkin and Billy Crystal I'll give ya, but Jack Black? I personally don't find him funny or get why he's famous, but to each their own. I definitely wouldn't put him in the same category as the other two though.

 

[MelissaY1]

Yes, but these are the kind of actors that the director and writers would work with in their other films. If the Muppet film was done by Tim Burton (perish the thought), we'd have Johnny Depp and Helen Carter in there. It's writer/director preference. It's not unusual to have stock actors that are in every project at the hands of certain film makers. It's not like Disney gave them a list of "This is who we want in the film" (thank frog they didn't, or it would be nothing more than a bunch of Disney pop stars), these people are hand chosen, in some cases friends, of the writers/director in question.

And I wouldn't go so far as to say the original muppet movies had nothing but timeless cameos. Sure, it had Orson Welles and Charles Durning and Bob Hope in it... but Telly Savals was pretty much a flavor of the month at the time... Madeline Kahn was very popular at the time the film was made, and yet she still managed to have a respectable career until her all too early passing... Steve Martin was in his career's infancy when he did the movie. Now he's so famous he doesn't even have to do anything. You can never tell who's going to be timeless and who isn't until 10...20 years down the line. Jack Black's had movies solidly coming out for 10 years or more... Jean Claude wazzisface hasn't had a movie in years (that I know of).

Telly Savalas was a well established actor by the time the Muppet Movie came out. He had already done countless films and television projects by that point. I'll agree with you on Madeline Kahn and Steve Martin though.

I understand the point about getting stock actors or people that the filmmakers are used to/enjoy working with. But when I'm reading rumors of Lady Gaga cameos, etc. to me that couldn't be more "in the now". It's like watching the cameos of Katie Holmes and the other guy who's name escapes me from Dawson's Creek in Muppets From Space. There's no relevancy to them now. That's what I'm talking about.

 

[KermieBaby47]

Alan Arkin and Billy Crystal I'll give ya, but Jack Black? I personally don't find him funny or get why he's famous, but to each their own. I definitely wouldn't put him in the same category as the other two though.

Well, yeah, I can see where you're coming from. That's why I said "not so much".

And I'm with you 100% on the Dawson cameo's, and others' like that. They do need more established and relevant cameo's, but I am curious to see how it will all play out.

In the long run, I am a Muppet fan, and I am familiar with many of the stars they're considering. Even years from now, I'll remember who they were and their accomplishments. Maybe my Son won't, but hopefully he'll love the Muppets enough that it won't bother him too much, and he'll be like, "who was that Daddy? What did they do?".

Or, maybe some of 'em will still be around, and/or not so easily forgotten. That's the thing about classic Hollywood, soon, all we'll have will be these new performers, they'll be the new comic icons of the times. We shall see...

 

[Drtooth]

I understand the point about getting stock actors or people that the filmmakers are used to/enjoy working with. But when I'm reading rumors of Lady Gaga cameos, etc. to me that couldn't be more "in the now". It's like watching the cameos of Katie Holmes and the other guy who's name escapes me from Dawson's Creek in Muppets From Space. There's no relevancy to them now. That's what I'm talking about.

I see what you're getting at. Though, clearly the Kermit doll dress bit was a big reason for her cameo. And these all seem like they are hand picked by the writers/directors. Confidentially, I still think the MFS cameos were on a "Alright... who can we get on short notice and for cheap?" basis. I mean, Hulk Hogan was DEFINITELY a falling star at that point. VMX was sort of like that. They didn't have the same influence they had back in the TMM-MTM days... otherwise they would have got someone a LOT better than Rob Schneider. You could argue a lot of the actors are flavors of the month or at the moment... but they are very BIG at the moment stars. not a C or D lister in the entire line up. The film stars they have in the film have had strings of hits, the TV stars are on very popular shows. And I might also add, there's very little Disney connection with anyone on board. I swear if they DID make a Muppet movie instead of having someone come to them, we'd see stars of ABC sitcoms and TV shows that would have been canceled long BEFORE the movie came out. And obviously, ONE of their many at the moment pop stars.

So, if nothing else, think of it that way. We may be getting at the moment people, but they're very SUCCESSFUL at the moment people.

 

[frogboy4]

The movie going public is muuuuuch different than it was thirty years ago. Having a veteran actor like Billy Crystal is great and will stand the test of time, but he's not going to get butts in the seats like Lady Gaga. I think there's a good mixture of talented people that reflect different backgrounds, tastes and age groups.

I don't think any of these cameos are as bad as most of the MFS ones. Rob Schneider, Josh Charles, David Arquette, Hulk Hogan and Kathy Griffin weren't that big in 1999 nor are they really all that big now. Ray Liotta, F. Murray Abraham and Andi McDowell might have some prestige, but they certainly weren't big draws. I can't believe that Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson are still around today, but actually they seem to be doing okay.

Will some of these cameos seem dated? Sure. But no matter how Gaga's career goes from here on out she'll certainly be noteworthy for this particular generation. You just can't predict these things. I'm glad she's in it and I'm happy to see some variety.

 

[MelissaY1]

Well, yeah, I can see where you're coming from. That's why I said "not so much".

And I'm with you 100% on the Dawson cameo's, and others' like that. They do need more established and relevant cameo's, but I am curious to see how it will all play out.

In the long run, I am a Muppet fan, and I am familiar with many of the stars they're considering. Even years from now, I'll remember who they were and their accomplishments. Maybe my Son won't, but hopefully he'll love the Muppets enough that it won't bother him too much, and he'll be like, "who was that Daddy? What did they do?".

Or, maybe some of 'em will still be around, and/or not so easily forgotten. That's the thing about classic Hollywood, soon, all we'll have will be these new performers, they'll be the new comic icons of the times. We shall see...

I'm a diehard Muppet fan too, have been for my soon to be 33 years of life, and I'm not saying who is in this movie will deter me from watching it. I just don't think getting the latest Hollywood "A" listers will make this movie any better. I really do hope this movie has a lot of TLC put into it and concentrates on it being a Muppet movie and not trying to be hip just for the sake of it, which is how I feel what they've done with their last few film and TV movie projects.

As for classic Hollywood moving on, I know that's what makes me sad: that our future generations will not have the entertainers and talent like the likes of people of like Bob Hope and Steve Martin....