Segel gets things started on a new Muppet movie

It's turning out to be a good year for fans of felt.

If the prospect of a "Fraggle Rock" flick got you giddy, then the idea of a new Muppet movie should be enough for you to have to seek medical attention. After all, the gang has been missing in big-screen action since 1999's underwhelming "Muppets From Space," where Gonzo was revealed to be an alien, and Rob Schneider was revealed to be the most famous guest star Kermit and Co. could rustle up.

But things have been looking up ever since it was reported in March that writer/actor Jason Segel (yes, this is our second post in a row with Jason Segel in it, deal) has been given the go-ahead to write a new Muppet feature. At first the idea struck some as odd -- this is the guy, after all, who wrote and starred in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," which introduced the world to Little Jason Segel -- but reading about Segel's enthusiasm for the project is reassuring. This is a guy who seriously loves the Muppets, and look no further than this new interview with IESB for proof.

Segel doesn't drop many hints regarding the plot of the new movie, only saying that he and writing partner Nick Stoller "are trying to bring it back to the early '80s movies where it's not Muppets in the Sahara or Muppets Underwater. It's the Muppets getting back together to put on a show, to save the studio."

Other interesting tidbits include a possible role for songwriter Paul Williams, and the addition of what Segel calls "some great cameos." Since Segel hails from the Judd Apatow camp, we probably shouldn't rule out seeing Steve Carell tangle with Gonzo, Seth Rogen try to out-shag Animal, or Will Ferrell put the moves on Miss Piggy. (Any of which would be lightyears ahead of Rob Schneider, but still a few notches below Bob Hope serving dragonfly ice cream in "The Muppet Movie.")

Any Muppet fans out there wanna weigh in? Think Segel will do a good job? Want us to write a "How I Met Your Mother" post next, to complete the Segel Trifecta? Drop us a line.

-- Adam Reinhard, areinhard@greenbaypressgazette.com