The Muppets is a 2011 American musical comedy film directed by James Bobin and written by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller. Produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, it is the seventh theatrical film featuring the Muppets. The film stars Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Rashida Jones as well as Muppet performers Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, David Rudman, Matt Vogel and Peter Linz. Bret McKenzie served as music supervisor, writing four of the film's five original songs, while Christophe Beck composed the score. In the film, devoted Muppet fan Walter, his human brother Gary and the latter's girlfriend Mary help Kermit the Frog reunite the disbanded Muppets in order to save the Muppet Theater from Tex Richman, a greedy oil magnate who plots to drill for oil on its former site.
Walt Disney Pictures announced development of a seventh Muppet film in March 2008, with Segel and Stoller as the screenwriters and Hoberman and Lieberman's Mandeville Films as co-producer. Conceived to serve as a creative reboot for the franchise after years of being largely out of the public eye following Disney's acquisition of the Muppets in 2004, Segel and Stoller intently addressed the Muppets' recent real-world lack of public exposure and fame in mainstream culture within the context of the film's story. As a result, The Muppets became the first film in the series to directly acknowledge The Muppet Show and reference plot points from previous Muppet films. Bobin was hired to direct in his feature-length debut in January 2010, and the film's supporting cast was filled out in October of the same year with the casting of Adams, Cooper and Jones. Filming took place from September 2010 to February 2011. The film was the first theatrical Muppets production to not star Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson performing their respective characters, although Nelson contributes an uncredited voice cameo. Instead, their roles are performed by Jacobson and Vogel, respectively, marking their theatrical feature film debut as those characters.
The Muppets premiered at the Savannah Film Festival on November 4, 2011, and was released theatrically in North America on November 23, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film was a critical and commercial success; it received universal acclaim for its humor, music, and revitalization of the Muppet characters, and grossed over $171 million worldwide on a budget of $45 million. The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for McKenzie's song "Man or Muppet", as well as earning BAFTA and Critic's Choice Awards nominations. A sequel, titled Muppets Most Wanted, was released on March 21, 2014.
Plot Walter, born a Muppet and a resident of Smalltown, is a lifelong fan of The Muppet Show. His human brother Gary intends to take his long-term girlfriend Mary on a vacation to Los Angeles. Mary wants Gary to propose to her, but feels his devotion to Walter distracts from their relationship.
The trio tour the rundown Muppet Studios, where Walter sneaks into Kermit the Frog's office. There, he overhears oil magnate Tex Richman and his henchmen, Uncle Deadly and Bobo the Bear, intending to buy the Muppet Theatre from Statler and Waldorf, who acknowledge that the Muppets could repurchase the theatre if they raised ten million dollars before their original contract expires. However, in private, Tex reveals his intent to drill for oil on the theatre's former site.
Walter informs Gary and Mary and they visit Kermit in his mansion, who realizes the Muppets would have to reunite and throw a telethon to raise the money. Though the Muppets have gone their separate ways, Kermit is convinced to reunite them. He convinces Fozzie Bear to join in, having been performing in Reno with the Moopets, a tribute band of uncouth Muppet impersonators. Gonzo, working as a plumbing magnate, at first refuses to join, but changes his mind. Animal attends a celebrity anger management clinic sponsored by Jack Black, who refuses to let him play the drums or even hear the mere mention of the instrument. The other various Muppets are recruited via "map montage".
The group travels to Paris to recruit Miss Piggy, who is an editor for Vogue Paris. She refuses to return, resulting in her Moopet equivalent, Miss Poogy, being hired. The Muppets pitch their telethon to several networks and CDE network executive Veronica Martin agrees to air their show if they gain a celebrity host and the Muppets rebuild the theatre; Piggy comes around afterwards and drives off Poogy. Needing enough acts to fill the telethon's two-hour timeslot, Kermit encourages Walter to find a talent. With Gary helping Walter, Mary goes sightseeing alone and eventually returns to Smalltown.
With time running out, a desperate Kermit tries to implore Tex to return the studio, but he refuses and then reveals that the Muppets' trademarks will be given to the Moopets. Kermit gives up, prompting Piggy to rally the other Muppets to kidnap Jack to be the host. Gary discovers Mary has left and returns to Smalltown.
The Muppets convince Kermit to participate in the telethon, which slowly gains both an audience and rising funds, thanks to telephone pledges from celebrity callers. Tex repeatedly attempts to sabotage the show, cutting the theatre's power, but the now-reconciled Gary and Mary arrive to restore it. A guilt-stricken Deadly betrays Tex and stops his second attempt at sabotage. Kermit and Piggy reconcile, leading the Muppets to perform a rendition of "Rainbow Connection". During this, Animal regains his love for drumming. Walter, with encouragement from Gary, performs a whistling act to pad the finale and earns a standing ovation.
Tex, refusing to accept defeat, deliberately crashes Kermit's car backwards into a telephone pole, cutting off the phone lines just a penny short of the quota—soon revealed that it was actually a large amount of money off due to faulty displaying—and evicts the Muppets from the theatre. Kermit resolves to "work [their] way up again" even though they no longer have the Muppets trademark or the theater. However, the group are met by adoring fans outside on Hollywood Boulevard, with Walter invited to join the Muppets as a regular, while Gary proposes to Mary. In a mid-credits scene, Tex, after being inadvertently struck in the head by Gonzo, willingly returns the theatre and trademark to the Muppets.
Cast Jason Segel as Gary, Walter's human brother and a fan of the Muppets. Gunnar Smith additionally portrays the character's six-year old self Connor Gallagher additionally portrays the character's nine-year old self Justin Marco additionally portrays the character's thirteen-year old self Amy Adams as Mary, a primary school teacher and Gary's longtime girlfriend and later fiancée. She is also a very capable mechanic. Chris Cooper as Tex Richman, a greedy oil magnate who plots to demolish the Muppet Theater and drill for oil on its former site. He is unable to laugh until Gonzo gives him a head injury during the end credits. Rashida Jones as Veronica Martin, an executive at the CDE television network.Warmoth, Brian. MTV, October 15, 2010, "Jason Segel's 'Muppet' Movie Adds Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Rashida Jones ". Retrieved May 23, 2011. Jones also puppeteered Trumpet Girl, whom she named "Dolores." Zach Galifianakis"Jack Black & Zach Galifianakis Join Disney's 'Muppets' Movie" . TheWrap.com. Retrieved May 17, 2011. as Hobo Joe, a homeless man who is the first audience member of The Muppet Telethon. Joanna Newsom did his brief singing voice. Jim Parsons as a human caricature of Walter Ken Jeong as the host of the television program, Punch Teacher Alan Arkin"Disney to Release 'Muppets' Movie Next Thanksgiving" . TheWrap.com. Retrieved May 17, 2011. as the Muppet Studios tour guide Bill Cobbs as a grandfather who watches The Muppet Telethon Eddie Pepitone as a postman Kristen Schaal as the Anger Management Group moderator. Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo as a Univision executive who turns down the Muppets' telethon pitch Donald Glover as a junior CDE executive, who informs Veronica of the sudden production-stopping of Punch Teacher due to a lawsuit from the Teachers' Society of America. Sarah SilvermanPromo trailers for film as Pam, a restaurant greeter at Mel's Drive-In. Dahlia Wangort as a Fox executive who turns down the Muppets' telethon pitch Michael Albala as an NBC executive who turns down the Muppets' telethon pitch Aria Noelle Curzon as Marge, a waitress at Mel's Drive-In Jack Black as himself (uncredited), Animal's court-appointed sponsor and unwilling celebrity host of The Muppet Telethon.
Muppet performers Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Statler, Rizzo the Rat, Link Hogthrob, Lips and the Newsman Eric Jacobson as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam Eagle and Marvin Suggs Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Beauregard, Waldorf and Kermoot Bill Barretta as Swedish Chef, Rowlf the Dog, Dr. Teeth, Pepe the Prawn, Bobo the Bear, Big Mean Carl, Mahna Mahna, Behemoth, Beautiful Day Monster, a Muppet caricature of Gary and a hobo David Rudman as Scooter, Janice, Miss Poogy, Wayne and Bobby Benson Matt Vogel as Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Camilla the Chicken, Sweetums, '80s Robot, Lew Zealand, Uncle Deadly, Roowlf, Crazy Harry and Janooce Peter Linz as Walter
Archival recordings of Goelz, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson and Richard Hunt can be heard in the film through The Muppet Show segments in the opening flashbacks. Nelson also makes an uncredited cameo appearance as the telethon's announcer, reprising his role from The Muppet Show. This would be the final time Nelson and his likeness would be used in a Muppets production before his death the following year.
Cameo appearances Emily Blunt as Miss Piggy's receptionist at Vogue Paris. Blunt spoofs her prior role as Emily Charlton from the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. James Carville"Movie Cameos: Neil Patrick Harris, Whoopi Goldberg, & More!" . ToughPigs.com. Retrieved February 9, 2011. as himself, who assists in answering calls for the telethon. Leslie Feist as a Smalltown resident who appears during the "Life's a Happy Song" number. Whoopi Goldberg as herself, who assists in answering calls for the telethon. Selena Gomez as herself, who assists in answering calls for the telethon. Dave Grohl"The Grohl Muppet Caper" . ToughPigs.com. Retrieved May 17, 2011. as Animool, a man dressed as Animal who is a member of the Moopets. Neil Patrick Harris as himself, who assists in answering calls for the telethon. Judd Hirsch"Muppet Movie Cameo: Judd Hirsch" . ToughPigs.com. Retrieved May 17, 2011. as himself, who assists in answering calls for the telethon. John Krasinski"The New Muppet Movie Will Involve Lady Gaga" . New York. Retrieved May 17, 2011. as himself, who assists in answering calls for the telethon. Rico RodriguezRodriguez, Rico. "My childhood is coming alive right now. I'm filming with the Muppets for their new movie! It's pretty epic!" . Twitter. Retrieved May 17, 2011. as himself, who assists in answering calls for the telethon. Mickey Rooney"Mickey Rooney and Muppets" . ToughPigs.com. Retrieved May 17, 2011. as a Smalltown resident who appears during the "Life's a Happy Song" sequence.
Production Development