The Muppets (2011) NL

The Muppets is a 2011 American musical comedy film, the first Muppets theatrical release in twelve years.[7] The film is directed by James Bobin, written by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller, produced by Jason Segel, Martin Baker, David Furnish, David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, and John Scotti, and stars Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Rashida Jones.

In the film, Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, his brother Gary, and Gary's girlfriend Mary help Kermit the Frog reunite the Muppets. They must raise $10 million to save the Muppet Theater from Tex Richman, a businessman who plans to demolish the studio to drill for oil.

The film was first announced in March 2008, with production commencing in September 2010. The film premiered at the 2011 Savannah Film Festival, and was released by Walt Disney Pictures in North America on November 23, 2011. The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song "Man or Muppet", written by Bret McKenzie; the first Academy Award presented to a Muppet film. The Muppets is also the highest-grossing film of the franchise to date (not accounting for inflation. If you do, the highest-grossing Muppet film is The Muppet Movie)

Plot

Walter lives with his human brother Gary in Smalltown. They became Muppet fans when they watched The Muppet Show in their youth. Gary plans a vacation to Los Angeles with his girlfriend, Mary to celebrate their tenth anniversary, inviting Walter along so he can tour the Muppet Studios. Mary feels that Gary's devotion to Walter is detracting from their relationship.

In Los Angeles, the three visit the abandoned Muppet studio. During the tour, Walter sneaks into Kermit the Frog's office and discovers Statler and Waldorf selling the theater to Tex Richman, an oil magnate, and his henchmen Bobo the Bear and Uncle Deadly. Waldorf explains that if the Muppets can raise $10 million they can repurchase the theater. After Statler and Waldorf leave the office, Walter overhears Richman revealing his plans to destroy the Muppet Theater and drill for oil underneath, and later warns Gary and Mary about Richman's intentions.

When Kermit the Frog is informed the situation at his mansion, he realizes he must organize a show to raise the money, which the Muppets have not done in years. After Walter convinces him to try, Kermit and the three set off to reunite the group with the car being driven by '80s Robot. Fozzie Bear is performing in Reno, Nevada with the Moopets, a group of uncouth Muppet impersonators which includes a man dressed as Animal. Kermit persuades him to leave Reno. Meanwhile, Gonzo has become a plumbing magnate. Despite his initial objection, Gonzo decides to destroy his business and join them. Animal is in a celebrity anger-management clinic. He rejoins them, but his sponsor Jack Black warns him to avoid drums. The other primary Muppets are located and rejoin through a montage. In Paris, the group later finds Miss Piggy working as Vogue Paris's editor for "plus-sized" fashion. Unable to convince Miss Piggy to return, the group replaces her with Moopet counterpart Miss Poogy.

The Muppets pitch their telethon idea to FOX, NBC, and Univision, but are rejected. Due to the sudden cancellation of a popular show resulting from a lawsuit, CDE network executive Veronica gives the Muppets a two-hour opening in the network's schedule on the condition that they find a celebrity guest. The Muppets repair the theater, but their rehearsal fails and Kermit is unable to find a celebrity guest. Miss Piggy returns and forces Miss Poogy out. Refusing to work with Kermit, Miss Piggy selects Pepe the King Prawn as her partner for a dance routine. Kermit later persuades Walter to perform and find his talent, while Mary goes sight-seeing alone.

When Kermit entreats Richman to return their studio, the oil magnate reveals that the Muppets will also lose their trademark name and rights which he plans to give to the Moopets. Miss Piggy has the Muppets kidnap Jack Black as a celebrity guest. Meanwhile, after Gary forgets his anniversary with Mary, she leaves for Smalltown. When Gary attempts to explain to Walter about Mary's problem, he realizes what he has done. Gary chooses to improve his relationship with Mary, while Walter discovers he was meant to be a Muppet. Gary reconciles with Mary and they return to Los Angeles, while the telethon builds up to success with celebrity support and Black as host. With help from Bobo the Bear, Uncle Deadly, and the Moopets, Richman cuts the theater's power supply, but Gary and Mary repair the wiring. Richman then attempts to destroy the transmitter antenna, but Uncle Deadly has a change of heart and stops Richman. Miss Piggy reconciles with Kermit and the Muppets perform "Rainbow Connection".

With the telethon running short, Walter finds his talent and performs a whistling act, and the crowd praises him. Richman, refusing to lose, disables the telephone lines and evicts them from the theater, out of time and short of their monetary goal. Kermit says that the Muppets tried their best, and will begin again as a family, before leaving with Walter, Gary, and Mary. The group then witnesses a vast gathering of fans outside the theater. With Gary's encouragement, Walter greets the crowd with the Muppets as Gary proposes to Mary and Richman gives the theater and rights back to the Muppets after suffering a head injury from Gonzo's bowling ball act.

Cast

Jason Segel as Gary, Walter's human brother and a fan of the Muppets.

Amy Adams as Mary, an elementary school teacher and Gary's longtime girlfriend. She is a very capable mechanic.

Chris Cooper as Tex Richman, an oil magnate who desires to destroy the Muppet Theater. He has issues with the Muppets when he was unable to laugh comically at his 10th birthday.

Rashida Jones as Veronica, a network executive at the CDE network.

Jack Black as himself, Animal's court-appointed sponsor and unwilling guest star of The Muppet Telethon.

Directed by

James Bobin

Produced by

David Hoberman

Todd Lieberman

Executive producers

Jason Segel

Nicholas Stoller

Martin G. Baker

Written by

Jason Segel

Nicholas Stoller

Based on

The Muppets by Disney

Starring

Jason Segel

Amy Adams

Chris Cooper

Rashida Jones

Music by

Christophe Beck

Cinematography

Don Burgess

Editing by

James M. Thomas

Studio

Mandeville Films

The Muppets Studio

Distributed by

Walt Disney Pictures

Release date(s)

November 4, 2011 (Savannah Film Festival)

November 23, 2011 (United States)

Running time

103 minutes

Country

United States

Language

English

Familie / Komedie

103 minuten

geregisseerd door James Bobin

met Jason Segel, Amy Adams en Chris Cooper

Walter is een lieve, lichtjes naïeve twintiger die de kamergenoot en beste vriend is van Gary (Jason Segel). Ze zijn allebei fan van The Muppets, al is dat voor Walter een beetje vreemd omdat hij zelf een pop is. Toch is het zijn grootste droom om ooit eens een keertje zijn bekende soortgenoten te ontmoeten. Wanneer de twee vrienden ontdekken dat het Muppet Theater in gevaar is, trekken ze eropuit om Kermit, Miss Piggy en alle anderen weer bij elkaar te brengen om een geweldige show op poten te zetten.