Muppets Most Wanted

Walt Disney Pictures is developing a follow-up to the 2011 feature film The Muppets.

It was announced in March 2012 that Disney is moving forward on the project with James Bobin (director of The Muppets) and Nick Stoller (co-writer of The Muppets) currently signed to write the screenplay.

Jason Segel (co-writer, producer, and star of The Muppets) has said that he will not return for a sequel, stating: "I have handed off the Muppets to my writing partner and to James Bobin. My goal was to bring the Muppets back and I feel like I accomplished that. I feel like they're in really good hands. But it was half a decade of my life, I just want a little breather, and I know that they're going to nail it."

Developments

 * When initially asked about the prospects of a sequel prior to the release of The Muppets in November 2011, Jason Segel said: "We haven't really started thinking about a sequel yet. We're just waiting to see how this goes." When asked about making standalone film rather than a direct sequel, he replied: "I think that's a little bit more Muppety... The Great Muppet Caper is so different from The Muppets Take Manhattan which is so different from The Muppet Movie... I think that's the better approach."


 * On February 13, 2012, during a British promotional appearance for The Muppets on This Morning on ITV, Kermit and Miss Piggy were asked about rumors of The Muppet Show returning to television; Kermit responded to the question saying: "If this movie does as well as we like and people want to see us, sure, we'll probably do more movies. And I mean it's nothing official - not official. But there's all this 'hush-hush Hollywood talk." Piggy responded to Kermit saying "Well make it official. You can do that." Kermit then stated "ok, it's official."


 * On March 3, 2012 it was announced in Variety that James Bobin and Nick Stoller would pen the screenplay for the sequel.


 * In a March 14, 2012 appearance on The View, Kermit and Miss Piggy were asked by Elisabeth Hasselbeck if there is going to be a sequel to The Muppets. Kermit responded: "Well I think there is a very good chance of that. We are happy to say, yes. Yes, we are thrilled about that." His remark garnered a thunderous applause from the studio audience.


 * In a March 21, 2012 interview with MTV News, Kermit the Frog and Walter talked about Jason Segel's departure from the franchise as they prep for The Muppets 2.