Rumor: New Sesame Street Movie in the Works

[Hubert]

According to The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century Fox picked up the movie rights for a Sesame Street movie. Not much is really known about it right now, other than Joey Mazzarino as of now is going to be writing it and some producers have been announced.

It will be interesting to see what happens with this...

'Sesame Street' Movie in the Works from Fox (Exclusive)

UPDATED: The studio has picked up the movie rights to the iconic children’s television show with longtime show writer Joey Mazzarino on board to pen the script.

20th Century Fox wants to tell you how to get to Sesame Street.

The studio has picked up the movie rights to the long-running and iconic children’s television show and has tapped longtime Street writer Joey Mazzarino to pen the script. Producers are Shawn Levy and his 21 Laps banner, Michael Aguilar, Mark Gordon andFilm 360's Guymon Casady.

The educational series, which premiered in 1969, airs mostly on PBS stations and features a combination of live-action and puppetry, as well as animation. It is best known as the home of the Jim Henson creations Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster and Elmo. It's estimated that about one in three Americans has watched the show, and the format is broadcast in dozens of countries. Sesame Street also has won 138 Emmys during its run.

The series has generated two previous big-screen adaptations, 1985’s Follow That Bird and 1999’s The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. Bird featured John Candy, Chevy Chase and Dave Thomas as well as the marquee puppets. It was distributed by Warner Bros.
Sesame Workshop, the company behind the show (and formerly known as Children’s Television Workshop), likely will be involved in a producer capacity as well.

Fox had no comment on the news.

Levy, the director of Night at the Museum, Date Night and Real Steel, is a eyeing a July start for his next movie, the Fox comedy The Internship, which will reteam Wedding Crashers stars Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. 21 Laps is producing the coming-of-age indie The Spectacular Now and the Fox 2000 Christmas comedy Alone for the Holidays.

 

[Cindy]

Please let it be good. Please let it be good. Please let it be really, really good.

Or maybe I should be chanting:

Please let this happen. Please let this happen. Please let this happen.

 

[Oscarfan]

I'm hoping that because Joey is writing it, it will be good (and darn funny). I also hope there's no pressure from Fox or the Workshop to make Elmo the star; sure, he can have a main role, but not THE main role. I want an ensemble piece. And a Mr. Johnson appearance.

 

[Beauregard]

"When evil businessman Tex Richman discovers oil beneath Sesame Street, Elmo's biggest fan must reunite the old gang..."

 

[Hubert]

I'm hoping that because Joey is writing it, it will be good (and darn funny). I also hope there's no pressure from Fox or the Workshop to make Elmo the star; sure, he can have a main role, but not THE main role. I want an ensemble piece. And a Mr. Johnson appearance.

That's what I'm thinking. I feel a lot better about this because I know that an experienced SST writer and performer who has a large knowledge of the show is writing it.

 

[Cindy]

I could go for a Murray's Big Adventure.

 

[BobThePizzaBoy]

I'm hoping that because Joey is writing it, it will be good (and darn funny). I also hope there's no pressure from Fox or the Workshop to make Elmo the star; sure, he can have a main role, but not THE main role. I want an ensemble piece. And a Mr. Johnson appearance.

Wouldn't you know it? I was just coming on here to post this same thing.

That said, I can't help but be worried, considering Fox is behind well, this but I'm hoping they don't make Joey's script more THEIR movie than it is his. I don't want Big Bird eating Grover's poop or Cookie Monster making 3 million jokes about Charlie Sheen, Rebecca Black or the Cinnamon Challenge that will be outdated by next year. I'm sure Joey's script will have none of that but Fox might try and pull a fast one but hopefully not.

 

[Drtooth]

I'd be more worried that they'd Elmo's World the entire film than all of that. That seems to be the more likely, as Elmo is THE target Sesame Street character.

I have faith in Joey's writing credit. Unless they get that jerk director Tim Hill back in there, I'm sure Joey's vision and experience will be left unchallenged... or challenged very little.

I just hope they have a bigger budget than the last film and get some cameo human stars people have heard of that aren't too dated.

 

[D'Snowth]

Again, this begs the question... they couldn't get Jim Lewis to write The Muppets because...?

Either way, I'm having a hard time swallowing this one, mainly because they seem to be rather secretive in the article about the movie, along with Fox apparently having "no comment at this time", but other than that, if this is for real, then I'm psyched. I wish we could have a really spectacular Super Grover epic, or at least give Big Bird another movie, but if not, yes, PLEASE Joey, for us loyal Muppet Freaks, please make this an ensemble piece and not all Elmo.

 

[cahuenga]

I would love to see a movie abour Bert and Ernie, they are iconic characters from the show and in the past two movies ther were jus supporting cast. And I wanna see historic characters too, like Herry, Sherlock, amazing Mumford, Bruno, Gladys,Hoots, Natacha, etc.. Like The Muppets did, the parents loved to see charcters from their chilhood with their kids. The new Sesame film would be amazing if they work in that way..