2011 Muppet Movie plot officially announced

[beaker]

We've seen pictures already and we know he's going to be performed by Peter Linz. Read all about him here:

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Walter

Anyway, yes, if Walter is going to be the "guide" to the audience, then it could work. I HOPE they do some reference to Muppet Central, Tough Pigs, the Muppet Mindset or the MuppetCast. I hope that whenever they film Walter's place (hey, he's gotta live somewhere), that they show those sites at least bookmarked on his computer. If they really want to put in a reference just for us, there could be a muffin next to the keyboard.

I could see his place being filled with Palisades figures, posters, an autographed photo of Frank Oz and the Muppet Show DVDs (with spaces on the shelf reserved for Seasons 4 and 5).

Walter could be a funny character if he's a true caricature of us. He could grumble about people spelling Fozzie's name wrong, correct people who say "I love Miss Piggy on Sesame Street!" blog his journey (as was already mentioned) or even quote Jim in the movie. Couldn't you just hear this in the dialogue:

Character 1: "But are we really ready to fight this oil tycoon?"
Character 2: "We don't have much time. Plus, we only have some of our plan prepared."
Walter: "Well, let's just take what we got and fly with it!"

There's all kinds of Easter eggs they could put in the film. If they could put all kinds of obscure references in that clunker known as "Kermit's Swamp Years", then why not in this big Disney film? Have Jim Henson's picture in the background somewhere, have them encounter a raccoon in the woods named Joan Ganz, have Walter bid on a copy of "Of Muppets and Men" on eBay, something.

True, the movie plot does sound like UHF, but I love UHF so it's cool with me.

Plus...Weird Al is looooooooong overdue for working with the Muppets. Yeah, yeah, there was the Muppet Magazine article, but I'm talking about TV or film stuff.

Convincing John

I would actually be shocked if there isn't a reference, if not an actual scene relating to Muppet fan sites/forums/etc. If Walter is a hardcore Muppet fan in 2011, there's no way they could exclude a scene like that. Heck Kermit way back in 2002 referenced Muppet fan websites in VMMCM. I also could definitely see a scene where Walter's room is plastered with Muppet posters, merchandise, ephemera, toys/Palisades figures, etc. Even busting out references or quotes to the films and shows.

So many opportunities for a zillion references/fan service/Muppet related cameos. It sucks Juhl couldnt still be with us to advise the script, and I wish Jim Lewis could be involved. I love Segal's passion, but I just don't know if he *really* knows Muppet canon and writing like a seasoned Muppet writer would(tho I guess that's where the consultation comes in) I'm worried Pepe isn't in it much, as any current fan should know he's one of the main characters. Segal's passion is unprecedented tho, and one might say he is almost single handedly saving the Muppets and bringing them back to the long awaited forefront again.

 

[Nick22]

wouldn't it be cool, if in the movie, walter was on MC? if only....

 

[Gonzo's Hobbit]

I like this plot but I'm hoping that perhaps we'll get something a little more deataled soon. I kind of agree with some of the worries that the plot sounds a little recycled but I'm holding out hope because it's really hard to get a story idea out of a few sentences. In the case of it sounding a bit like VMX, don't forget VMX was a one hour tv special and you can't do as much in one of those as in a full length feature film. Not to mention that a majority of VMX was Kermit's revelations not them trying to save the theatre. So there's more that could be done and accomplished. And as for the fact that the muppets are broken up, if there is a different reason and history behind that decision than in MTM, that could potentially add a different dimension that won't sound repetetive.
At least that's how I see it.

 

[Drtooth]

That thread was deleted, so I might as well post it here...

That Yogi Movie basically had a "save the X" plot too, so there's always that concern.

 

[Gonzo's Hobbit]

That Yogi Movie basically had a "save the X" plot too, so there's always that concern.

Maybe, but one thing that I've learned about scriptwriting is that most movies boil down to only a handful of basic plotlines. It's usually the characters and the situations they get themselves into that define the movie.

 

[Drtooth]

That said, that movie stunk, but NOT as bad as Yo Yogi or Yogi's Space Race. Really, look those up somewhere... they're TERRIBLE! And Yo Yogi was a more jaded attempt at hipping up the character than the film will ever be. Yo Yogi killed the character.

As for the movie, I can't even blame Yogi or Boo-Boo because at least they got them right. Taking the same direction Garfield and Alvin and the Chipmunks did with the human characters, making them useless one dimensional lovable lug authority figures without any authority, and spending half the movie with a totally phoned in phony inorganic relationship with a Mary Sue figure.

Now, if this movie does have a romance between the human characters, it WILL be organic. Forgetting Sarah Marshall proved that.

 

[Duke Remington]

This movie just can't get a good title, nor can any of us think of one. "Greatest Muppet movie of all time EVER" is both a very dated manner of speech, and it also insists upon itself. The Muppets sounds generic and forgettable, and frankly, I'm not too crazy about the next Pooh movie just being called Winnie the Pooh. So what else can you call it? The Muppet Movie as a title was based slightly off the fact their TV series was called The Muppet Show, but all the others seemed a bit more specific. Great Muppet Caper WAS a caper, MTM... they were in New York... From Space? Yeah, that one was pretty self explanatory... even VMX had Christmas in the title.

How about "The Muppet Reunion"? After all, the plot is about reuniting the Muppets, who have since gone their seperate ways, to save their studio.

Then again, that title might not work either...

 

[Gonzo's Hobbit]

Yea I do agree with you there DrTooth about the title. Although the problem I have with it is it kinda subconsiously begs the question, "If this is the 'Greatest Muppet Movie Ever'" what then do we have to look forward to in the next one or what is even the point of doing any future movies?"

 

[BIGMuppetFan]

The Only Disney teen Stars I would like in this Movie are Dylan and Cole Sprouse (AKA Zack and Cody) Don't groan at this, Dylan and Cole are not as popular as most Disney female stars and do have a special fan-base and Cole has been seen in pictures wearing a "The Great Muppet Caper" T-Shirt and Cole Sprouse has said that "The Great Muppet Caper" is one of his Favorite Films

 

[Drtooth]

I don't want any of them. Here's why.

Other than the obvious fact it would be a huge step backward, tying in Disney employees to this film, I'd liken that to the nonstop NBC TV show promos in VMX (and to some extent LTS). I do not want this to be a project the emphasizes it's a Disney project and to check out other Disney projects (i.e. their dub of Ponyo). Having awkward scenes with any of their tween stars would feel just as out of place and forced as the Scrubs cameo in VMX.

That would weaken the project greatly.