STX Entertainment and the Jim Henson Company are developing a black comedy and live-action hybrid that the film company sees as racy and raucous enough to bring an R-rating.
It hasn’t got one yet — that comes when the Motion Picture Association of America ratings board gets a look — or a title or voice cast. Todd Berger and Dee Robertson wrote the script, with an assist from Erich and Jon Hoeber.
Late Muppets creator Jim Henson’s son, Brian Henson, will direct the project, which tells the story of the puppet stars of “The Happytime Gang” TV show.
Family favorites on the screen, they’re a free-wheeling bunch with bad habits and scandalous secrets off-camera. When a couple of cast members are bumped off, two mismatched dicks — that’s detectives — must overcome their serious differences to catch a killer.
12 of the Biggest Movies Shot in the U.K.: 'Star Wars,' 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' 'Muppets'
"Fast & Furious 6": Previous installments in the cars and criminals franchise had filmed in Los Angeles, Japan and across South America, but production on the most recent entry took place in London, with Piccadilly Circus and Lambeth Bridge serving as iconic settings for vehicular carnage.
"Skyfall": James Bond is as quintessentially English as the Union Jack, so it was only fitting that much of the production work on the most recent 007 film was done at Pinewood Studios. Yes, Bond traveled to exotic locales like Turkey, but the finale of the film was set in the Scottish Highlands instead of some tropical paradise.
"Anna Karenina": Joe Wright's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel may have been set in Imperial Russia, but filming took place half a world away. The bulk of the ornate historical drama was shot on a single soundstage at London's Shepperton Studios.
"Snow White and the Huntsman": The castle may have been computer generated, but the expanse of beach that serves as the backdrop for the fantasy film's climactic battle scene can be found in Wales.
"Prometheus": Iceland's barren landscapes served as exteriors for Ridley Scott's "Alien" prequel, but much of the footage of the space ships and hangers were done Shepperton Studios and Pinewood Studios in England.
"Maleficent": With a budget north of $130 million, this re-interpretation of the "Sleeping Beauty" story with Angelina Jolie is a pricey gamble. By filming the picture in the Buckinghamshire as opposed to Burbank, Disney will be able to get tax rebates to defray costs. It couldn't have done that in L.A., where movies with budgets over $75 million are ineligible for incentives.
"About Time": One thing that keeps Hollywood coming back to the U.K. is its deep bench of talent. In the case of this science fiction romantic comedy, that included "Love Actually" collaborators Bill Nighy and director Richard Curtis.
"Dom Hemingway": The black comedy follows the travails of an English safecracker (Jude Law), so plot as well as savings likely factored into its London location.
"The Counselor": Fox's drug trafficking thriller may have attracted big names like Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem nd director Ridley Scott, all of whom often arrive with big salary demands, but it was able to save money by shooting in London.
"Guardians of the Galaxy": Marvel Studios has done an expert job of scouting out places like North Carolina and New Mexico to get tax credits and rebates on films like "Iron Man 3" and "The Avengers." For its upcoming adventure film about interstellar do-gooders, Marvel is following a similar strategy of going where the money is by having its adventurers touch down in London's Shepperton Studios.
"Jupiter Ascending": The Wachowski siblings' science-fiction film may be set in the future, but by shooting at Warner Bros. Leavesden studios, the film's backers were able to take advantage of tax refunds in the here and now.
"The Muppets ... Again!": It wasn't just tax refunds that attracted the makers of the follow-up to 2011's "The Muppets" to the land of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. The plot of the film, a caper flick set in Europe's major cities, required shooting to take place in London.
"Star Wars" Sequel: All six previous "Star Wars" film have shot some scenes at U.K. studios, but almost all of the production on J.J. Abrams' upcoming sequel will be done in the country, including the visual-effects work.
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Lured by generous tax incentives, many of Hollywood's biggest films have shot in London or plan to decamp for the U.K.
"Fast & Furious 6": Previous installments in the cars and criminals franchise had filmed in Los Angeles, Japan and across South America, but production on the most recent entry took place in London, with Piccadilly Circus and Lambeth Bridge serving as iconic settings for vehicular carnage.
