Speculation: Potential Sequel for "The Muppets"

[LouisTheOtter]

Walter is the character who introduced an entire generation of kids to the Muppets so I think he's here to stay. It would seem mean to exclude him at this point. He's one of the gang and I'm so happy the writers and his performer got him just right. It could have easily gone the other way, but they hit it out of the park! The only time I cried in "The Muppets" is when Walter encourages Kermit to reunite the gang by mentioning that he is on his wrist watch. It was so sweet and earnest!

I was somewhat hesitant about the concept of Walter but his emergence as a funny, loveable character was one of the best things about the new movie and I dearly hope he'll be back for the next flick and many more Muppet productions to come.

The Segel-Stoller script and Peter Linz in particular infused him with so many wonderful elements: a cheerful optimism and sincerity (the first five minutes of The Muppets could have been about Walter's love of dryer lint and we still would have been engaged), the willingness to take a comedic punch (electric fence - "Again!"), an undertone of charming oddness that emerges at the most unexpected moments ("Why are you talking like Edward G. Robinson?"), and the pleasant neuroses - especially insecurity - that have plagued nearly every Muppet since Sam and Friends.

Walter is more than a Muppet fanboy - he's a winner. He could be a great go-fer partner for Scooter or production assistant for Kermit, or wherever else the writers want to take him. He's definitely one of the gang now.

 

[Drtooth]

I came up with an idea for a movie several years ago when The Muppets were in the wilderness.... "Star Crossed Muppets", a take on Romeo & Juliet. I thought there could be plenty of scope for Kermit in the Romeo role and Piggy as Juliet, with their families against a frog marrying a pig.

That's a sound idea, but I don't think the Muppets are good for another classic retelling just yet. Plus, if Muppet Romeo and Juliette happened, I bet we'd wind up with a human actor as both lead roles, and the Muppets would just comment on the action by the time the film is finished.

I think Walter as the over eager newbie Muppet fits in well without it being a direct sequel. I'm also fine if the next movie deals with them being a troupe of performers and still put in a new plot... as long as they aren't living in a boarding house. If you look at the last several projects (Minus Wizard of OZ thoughe ven there to some extent) the Muppets have played the Muppets and I'm okay with that. Though I'm also fine with them playing themselves but in a different non continuity situation similar to Muppets take Manhattan or the Great Muppe Caper (Caper being a good example of this idea working). I just don't want them playing characters like in the Based on books movies. A direct sequel is not a good idea but if handled correctly might work...but its a long shot.

That's why the first movies, some of the DTV ones, and, hate to say MFS worked the way they did. They played themselves as themselves in different situations. I wouldn't have so much a problem with them being other characters, but aside from the fact they'd probably have the Muppets play third and fourth to human actors, there's that problem of having the characters act as those roles. Even the comic books had some problems with that. Kermit (and a couple others) felt a little generic in Muppet Robin Hood... and I still don't like Kermit's portrayal of LeStrade in Sherlock Holmes (though Gonzo as Sherlock was brilliance). Kermit really felt like Kermit in MCC... not so much in MTI until the scene with Piggy. And even then, Piggy was totally rewritten into MTI just to get her in the movie.

With the Muppets as Muppets, even in a GMC situation, they're free to breathe and act as themselves. I'd much rather a film like MTM or GMC than MCC and MTI...

 

[Muppetboy09]

Jason,

Thank you for all you have done for us. If you are somehow reading this, I would like to say that we are all proud to be Muppet fans at this moment, and we are so happy that you helped to bring us what we have been waiting for years for. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

-Muppetboy09 (and the Muppet fan community)

 

[zoebell]

idk, i'd like to see them keep playing themselves for awhile, but i guess i don't know where they could take that after this last one

it'd probably make more sense to do something completely different, like a muppet western.

 

[CensoredAlso]

it'd probably make more sense to do something completely different, like a muppet western.

The awkward thing about period pieces is trying to shoe horn characters into roles that don't fit them. Heck, even when they were technically playing themselves, they had trouble fitting in even the major characters, like Scooter for instance. He had a job on Muppet Show but in TMM and GMC they clearly didn't know what to do with him. At least he got to have all the bright ideas in MTM, hehe.

 

[DannyRWW]

That's a sound idea, but I don't think the Muppets are good for another classic retelling just yet. Plus, if Muppet Romeo and Juliette happened, I bet we'd wind up with a human actor as both lead roles, and the Muppets would just comment on the action by the time the film is finished.


And even then, Piggy was totally rewritten into MTI just to get her in the movie.
...

And yet in that case when they vered away from the source it actually helped the movie. The problem with adaptations is you are to stuck to the source and it can take away from the zaniness and character of the muppets. I love MCC but it is missing alot of what make the muppets the muppets. Its actually one of my favorite adaptations of the Christmas Carol but one of my least favorite muppet projects (if that makes sense). Oddly I haven't pulled out MTI in years. I agree though focusing on Human leads with the muppets in the background is bad. Gary and MAry worked because I think they were going into the mUppet world rather thatn the other way around (ironically the worlds of MTI and MCC were more muppety in scenery but less muppety in tone). So going with how Henson approached the first sequel in Great Mupept Caper maybe we need a gengre for the Muppets to come into (there they did a caper/heist film) so what would be an interesting genre for the Muppets to get into?

 

[CensoredAlso]

I love MCC but it is missing alot of what make the muppets the muppets. Its actually one of my favorite adaptations of the Christmas Carol but one of my least favorite muppet projects (if that makes sense).

It does make sense. It's a good Christmas movie. But I don't consider it a Muppet movie.

 

[zoebell]

that's what i'm thinking too. well, a western is an option (i think kermit even mentioned it in one of last year's interviews)

i'd love to see them just be themselves again, but the problem with that is that the only thing they can really come up with for them to do in a movie where they're themselves is trying to put on a show. and i figure they don't want it to get too repetitive

but if you think about it, TMM was about how they got together and trying to make it in the business, MTM was them trying to put their show on broadway, and TM was them getting back together and included all their show business history and everything. and the other films were either adaptations or being put into a heist plot (or MFS)

so, when they're themselves, it's always somewhat about the business itself. is there any other kind of story they could do as themselves?

what if they went REALLY meta and it was actually about bringing back TMS, even though it hasn't happened yet? that might be kinda cool! then we could see them trying to bring back old sketches and stuff, you could have sideplots with characters we didn't get to see as much of in this one. that might work! that could even work as a direct sequel, if you think about it

 

[frogboy4]

I'd like to see a movie that involved the day-to-day operations of the Muppet Show - from a perspective of their outside lives to their professional ones - and have the conflict arise from that.

Or maybe Kermit could get so stressed that he goes on vacation and leaves the Muppet Show to Walter. They could juxtapose the problems in the theater to Kermit's odd adventure somewhere else. That's funny!

 

[zoebell]

hey, i'd love that! the behind the scenes of TMS thing is an awesome idea, imo.

one, because they get to be their real selves, or as close to it as possible. two, because it's the way for fans to get to see the skits and other stuff we loved from TMS (i have a feeling the show itself won't make it back to TV anytime soon), and three, it's a very easy way to get the cameos in there.

and i love the idea of their outside lives mixing with professional ones, etc. i'd very much love to see something like that over them being tossed into an existing genre