Video Blog: /Film Visits The Set Of 'The Muppets'

I'm a huge Muppets fanatic. Over the past five years, I've been on the set of many movies and interviewed many big-name directors, actors and writers. This is not a brag, this is set-up. In November of last year, I got a tip that the new Muppets movie was filming at Jim Henson Studios on La Brea in Hollywood. Within minutes, I found myself standing across the street, watching as The Muppets performed in front of the Henson lot (which was transformed into The Muppets Studios_. For me, standing across the street watching The Muppets in action was cooler than being in the great hall of Hogwarts. And lets be clear, I wasn't even close to the action, I was all the way across the street, snapping photos like a tourist.

That night I got home and shot an e-mail to the nice people at Disney and begged and pleaded, if they invite me to anything this year, please let it be a invite to The Muppets set. For me, that would be better than The Avengers, John Carter or whatever other cool movies are on their slate. In January, an e-mail hit my inbox and clicking on it was like opening a Wonka Bar and finding a shinny golden ticket — I was going to go to the set of The Muppets. After the jump you can watch a video blog I recorded with Steve from Collider talking about our adventure on set, and what we learned about the movie. Enjoy!

Official Info:

THE MUPPETS

WALT DISNEY PICTURES

Cast: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Walter

Director: James Bobin

Writers: Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller

Family Comedy

November 23, 2011

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. With secret, signature, celebrity cameos, "The Muppets" hits the big screen Nov. 23, 2011.

Notes:

  • Funnyman Jason Segel (TV's "How I Met Your Mother," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") 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.
  • When Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater, they help Kermit reunite the Muppets to stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater.