New Muppet Film In The Works

VARIETY: Segel and Stoller take on Muppets
'Marshall' duo to write, direct film for Disney
By MICHAEL FLEMING - Posted: Wed., Mar. 12, 2008, 9:00pm PT

Disney has enlisted scribe-thesp Jason Segel and helmer Nick Stoller to create the next Muppet movie for the studio.

Segel and Stoller will write the script and Stoller will direct.

Segel, who graduated from Apatow-produced skeins "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared" got his first sole writing credit on the Apatow-produced "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." Universal releases the pic, which Stoller directed, on April 18.

In "Sarah Marshall" Segel's character writes a "Dracula" musical performed by puppets. Those cloth creatures were custom-made by the Henson puppeteers, and the experience emboldened Segel to pitch his concept for a Muppets movie when he was invited in for a general meeting with exec Kristin Burr. Segel got a deal in the room and enlisted Stoller to co-write and direct the project.

Segel and Stoller just made another U deal to co-write the comedy "Five-Year Engagement," with Stoller helming and Segal starring.

Segel, from the CBS laffer "How I Met Your Mother," next stars in "I Love You, Man" at DreamWorks.

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Well, this could be cool - I hope they're both fans of the show. It'll be interesting to see how the transition to writing for puppetry goes. I'm assuming it's significantly different from writing live-action.