The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made

I’ve been reading up on the latest from Jason Segel‘s Muppet project and I’m happy to hear that the film has been officially announced by Disney. I’m certain this flick won’t blow anyone’s mind but from what I’ve read so far, it sounds like Segel’s Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made could at least be in the tone of the Muppets we love.

In case you need a refresher, The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made actually derived from Jim Henson himself and his head writer from the original Muppets Show Jerry Juhl. The concept goes as follows: Gonzo, forever wanting to prove his own worth and show the world what he’s about, approaches Kermit with a movie idea. Kermit, being the extremely busy frog he is (probably busy doing news reports for Sesame Street and hanging with the wife Miss Piggy) says he’ll be in the film, but can’t find time to direct. Gonzo then takes the reigns and starts to shoot his own film. The story, in true Gonzo fashion, makes absolutely no sense but includes some big chase scenes and expensive shots (Michael Bay anyone?) but when he starts filming he blows the entire budget on the opening sequence leaving no money to shoot the remainder of the film. The concept is in the deteriorating fashion of quality as the plot moves forward and Gonzo is forced to use the same sets over and over again just to complete it.

Henson and Juhl talked about the concept up until their final meeting together, but sadly they could not bring the project to beyond the page as they originally planned.

Enter writer / actor Jason Segel and his wacky new ideas combined with a love of Muppet mythology. Segel (of Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You Man and How I Met Your Mother) claims to be a die-hard Muppets fan and plans to stay true to all of the characters. Although he might not use the story originally conceived by Henson and Juhl, he has officially adopted the name as an homage to the father of the Muppets. In Segel’s version the Muppet gang must band together to save their theater from being torn down by an oil tycoon. The final outcome could be a combination of both Henson and Juhl’s concept and Segel’s but nothing has been confirmed to date. Although the pitch doesn’t sound all that interesting, after watching the final scene from Forgetting Sarah Marchall I’m starting to believe Segel might know what he’s doing.

Here’s the song, but there doesn’t seem to be a actual “clip” floating around anywhere.