New Muppet movie in development for potential 2013 release

[Drtooth]

On a technicality...

MTM was redoing TMM, if in reverse. The whole trying to make it in the entertainment business... only with a big break up instead of everyone meeting each other.

There are only so many plots out there, and there is no such thing as an entirely original idea that isn't batcrackers insane. I dunno about you, but I don't want to see a movie that's about a glasses case vomiting out staplers until the film slowly deteriorates and turns into a walrus. Every basic outline of a plot has been done before.

No matter how different from GMC they make the film, it's still a film where the Muppets face off against a bad guy and rise up victoriously. And frankly, that's not just every Muppet Movie plot, that's like more than half of the plots of everything out there.

The Muppets had a LOT of coincidentally similar threads to VMX. Some of it is eerily similar (referencing Kung Fu films, albeit in completely different ways), but some of it just manages to be similar because of the similar trope of some bad guy wanting something the good guys had... in both cases, Muppet real estate. Even if Stoller, Bobin, and Segal have never EVER seen VMX and were unaware of its existence, they couldn't help having the same exact sort of antagonist and plot in a movie because it's an old stand by.

Unless they willfully copy GMC, or make an indirect sequel based on Nicky Holiday getting out of prison and wanting revenge on the Muppets, I don't think this could be a direct remake or direct copy of any kind, other than the fact that certain kinds of plot points will have similar threads to them... but then again, on a technicality, all Muppet Movies have that same thread to them.

 

[jvcarroll]

I'd like to see "take-charge Kermit" back, now that he's dealt with the various issues that arose in The Muppets. More screen time for Rowlf, Statler and Waldorf, Rizzo and Pepe, please. And, of course, the usual suspects: Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, Sam the Eagle, Bunsen & Beaker, Sweetums, the Swedish Chef and the Electric Mayhem (there MUST be at least ONE killer Mayhem song in this movie, as has been previously suggested).

You bring up a good point. Take-charge Kermit has been largely missing for the last 20 years. MCC, MTI and MWoO involved Kermit playing supporting roles in classic literature. VMX largely portrayed a world without Kermit's leadership and he was mostly along for the ride in MFS and LTS. Funny enough, until the last half of last year's TM, only the poorly received KSY portrays a take-charge Kermit. It's time the classic character dynamics come back in a modern setting. I also wanna see more of the Kermit and Fozzie duo. They're fantastic together.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I wanna hear Kermit sing more in the next movie. He didn't really in IMO get to sing a lot this one.

 

[Avilos]

You bring up a good point. Take-charge Kermit has been largely missing for the last 20 years.

That is true and there is obviously a symbolic reason for that. Whether by design or not. In the real world the Muppets have had no central leader since Jim's passing.

It was said at the time that Kermit would slowly reintroduced as played by Steve. Which seemed to affect the types of projects developed. Also I think without constant projects a lot of the characterization of the whole group had been out of focus. While the viral videos and tv appearances have been nice. Its not the same as having full story and clear character roles.

While during the 80s we saw a movie every few years and tv specials, etc. without constant new material. But it was the same group who had been doing the characters since The Muppet Show. Most of the post TMS stuff before Jim's death was essentially a spin=off of that show.

Its been trickier in recent years. We had a group of mostly new performers who have not had a constant outlet to develop the characters.

I am hopeful that is changing now. We have numerous tv appearances and a second film. Plus the new Muppeteers have had years to perfect taking on the classic characters.

Now that Kermit took charge in TM I am sure we will see that in the future. It was kind of symbolic of the Muppets coming back to the limelight.

 

[LouisTheOtter]

Regarding "take-charge Kermit": The Muppets as a franchise are proof of the value of a great writing team, and I think this will be the true challenge for Bobin and Stoller in the next movie, since they won't be able to rely on Muppet fans' nostalgia nearly as much as they did for the previous movie.

While it's true that a huge part of a character's success in a given project - or even a largely-improvised live setting like a promo interview - depends on the individual Muppeteer's comfort level with a character, I think the quality of the writing has a huge impact on a specific Muppet's ability to carry a scene or even an entire Muppet project, whether it's a feature film, a TV special/movie, or an album.

I look to Jim Lewis as an example. I've been re-reading Before You Leap lately and part of the reason the book works so well is that Lewis not only recognizes and treasures the Muppet legacy, he has Kermit's breezy dialogue style - confident but not egotistical - down-pat. You really feel that every word is coming out of Kermit's mouth (and, in their cameo roles, the other Muppets' mouths). Similarly, A Green and Red Christmas scored for me as a Muppet project because all the characters acted like themselves, even though it was the first recording project with the "new wave" of talent (Vogel, Baretta, Jacobsen) in the traditional Muppets' roles. (Whitmire had already starred in 1994's Kermit Unpigged.)

Now that Segel and Stoller have allowed Kermit to overcome his identity crisis within The Muppets, I'm very excited to see what Stoller and Bobin can do for him in the next movie, especially with Whitmire still playing him so enthusiastically in the recent round of promo spots for the theatrical and home releases of The Muppets.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I wanna be happy about the new movie. But I can't for some reason. Becuase it's a comdey caper. I guess that means that it's gonna be like GMC in some ways. (I don't really like the idea of re-doing movies).

If they're going to re-do any of the movies, I'd rather GMC than a few other choices, hehe.

 

[Phillip]

Jason Segel has confirmed that he will not appear in a cameo role in the next Muppet movie. (Of course we could have a secret "Man or Muppet" Jim Parsons type cameo surprise as well in the final film.)

Let us know your thoughts.

“No, no cameo,” Segel tells The Playlist. “It was a very distinct choice on my part. Of course I was asked to do it. I did exactly what I set out to do, if that makes any sense. My goal was never to take over the helm of ‘The Muppets.’ They have people who are better equipped for that. My only goal was to bring back the Muppets that I loved. And I did that. I kinda don’t know what I have left to do in that regard. I like doing these R-rated comedies. I loved working on ‘The Muppets’ but, you know, it took me six, seven years. That’s a lot of time working with puppets. I think I enjoy acting too much to repeat myself in any way. ‘Muppets 2’ would feel like repeating myself and I feel like maybe there would be no upside for me either. Well, it wasn’t as good as the first. I know where to leave it.”

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplayl...0120417?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed

 

[Muppet fan 123]

OK. I'm glad. People would be curious then. And they would HAVE to make him "Gary" if he had a cameo. Thank goodness!

He doesn't want to do it anymore anyway. So I won't miss him from the acting. We just need Walter!

 

[CensoredAlso]

OK. I'm glad. People would be curious then. And they would HAVE to make him "Gary" if he had a cameo. Thank goodness!

He doesn't want to do it anymore anyway. So I won't miss him from the acting. We just need Walter!

As long as Walter doesn't become a Cousin Oliver or something, lol.

But seriously, I like the idea some people had here of pairing him with Scooter. I think that's kinda what they tried doing putting him with Bean Bunny in the Disney World special. Scooter's this teenager/young adult (never entirely sure, lol) who doesn't want to be treated like a child yet gets stuck taking care of the baby of the group, lol.

 

[zoebell]

I think the press need to let it go on this Jason Segel thing. How much clearer can he be that he doesn't want to be involved anymore?