We’re so excited to see the Muppets return to the big screen next year in The Muppets…Again, the highly anticipated sequel to The Muppets that is currently in production in London. While recent news about the film has focused on what human stars will be in the movie, this week brought some huge updates on the film, including an official plot description.
A few days ago, Entertainment Weekly gave us our first look at the film with some brand-new publicity stills from the film (as seen at right and below). The images feature the Muppets and the film’s human star, Ricky Gervais, in the London Underground and at a train station, giving us our first look at the Muppets in the film’s European setting.
But what will the Muppets be up to in London? Luckily, we received some more information on that this week as well, as Disney released a press release with an official description of the film’s plot. Here’s the official plot synopsis:
Disney’s “The Muppets…Again!” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais, creator of “Derek” and the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series “The Office” and “Extras.” The film stars Golden Globe-, Emmy- and SAG Award-winning actress and writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock,” “Mean Girls,” “Date Night”) as Nadya, a feisty prison guard, and Emmy Award winner Ty Burrell (TV’s “Modern Family”) as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon.
This statement also confirms Tina Fey‘s casting in the film, which we first let you know about a few weeks ago. The combination of Fey and the Muppets is something we can’t wait to see, and we can’t wait to find out more about her involvement in the film.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kermit the Frog himself commented on his human co-stars and their involvement in the film. He explained:
Ricky Gervais is kind of like a Muppet, if you think about it. He fits right in. He’s about our size. I actually think when this film ends it’s going to be hard to get rid of him. He keeps following me back to my hotel in London, which is very strange, but we’re thrilled to have him. Then, of course, we have Tina Fey—and it’s hard to beat Tina. I know her because I was lucky enough to get asked to do a little spot on one of the last episodes of 30 Rock. She’s playing a feisty prison guard named Nadya, which should be fun. Then we have Ty Burrell, who’s playing a French Interpol agent. But personally, I’m not going to be going to France for the French scenes. It’s best if I don’t go there. It’s a frog thing.
Finally, Muppets producer Todd Lieberman also commented on the film this week in an interview with MovieFanatic.com, in which he discussed production on the movie and what we can expect from the film’s music. He told the website:
“We’re in our second week of shooting. It’s gone amazingly well. It’s an unbelievable amount of fun. (…) We got Bret McKenzie back to do the music! It has tons of new songs, and some old favorites.”
The Muppets…Again! will officially debut in theaters on March 14, 2014.
