‘The Muppets’ – Trailer, Plot Details, and Cast

Jason Segel in The Muppets
Jason Segel in ‘The Muppets’ (Photo © Walt Disney Pictures)

They’re back! Disney’s bringing our favorite lovable Muppets back to the big screen in an all-new adventure. Muppets fan James Bobin directs the musical comedy that’s heading to theaters on November 23, 2011.

Official Synopsis: On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds.

To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.

Interesting The Muppets trivia provided by Walt Disney Pictures:

  • Funnyman Jason Segel stars in, co-writes and executive produces The Muppets.
  • The Muppets is directed by James Bobin, who was a director/writer/EP for HBO’s Flight of the Conchords.
  • Kermit received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002. His song “The Rainbow Connection” was nominated for an Academy Award.
  • Bret McKenzie, who starred in, wrote for and served as composer for HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, is the music supervisor for The Muppets, as well as the writer/producer on some of the songs, which include big Muppet-style opening and closing numbers.
  • It’s been 11 years since the Muppets’ last big-screen feature film.

Among the celebrities showing up for cameos are Emily Blunt, James Carville, Leslie Feist, Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, and Dave Grohl. Neil Patrick Harris, Judd Hirsch, John Krasinski, Rico Rodriguez, and Mickey Rooney also pop in for a little screen time with the Muppets.

Steve Whitmire voices Kermit, Beaker, Statler, and Rizzo. Eric Jacobson handles the voices of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam Eagle, and Marvin Suggs. Dave Goelz provides the voices of Gonzo, Dr Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Beauregard, Waldorf, and Kermit Moopet.