The Happytime Murders is a movie with puppets and it’s directed by the son of Jim Henson, but it’s definitely not a normal, kid-friendly Muppets movie. The raunchy new restricted trailer is meant for adults who aren’t easily offended. And given it’s restricted nature, it’s a trailer you don’t want to be caught watching while at work.
The Happytime Murders is directed by Brian Henson and is the first feature film from Henson Alternative. The behind the scenes team includes director of photography Mitchell Amundsen, production designer Chris Spellman, editor Brian Olds, and costume designer Arjun Bhasin, with music by Christopher Lennertz.
The cast includes Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie David Baker, and Bill Barretta.
The Happytime Murders is set to open in theaters on August 24, 2018.
The Plot: Set in Los Angeles, The Happytime Murders explores a world where humans and puppets coexist. Like most humans, puppets run the gamut of personalities, occupations, interests, and vices. Although puppets are living among humans, they are still viewed as second-class citizens during discrimination, bigotry, and violence as they attempt to find their place in the world, living with as much dignity as possible even though they’re stuffed with fluff.
The film focuses on the fractured relationship between Melissa McCarthy as LAPD Detective Connie Edwards, a volatile veteran of the force with issues and a wicked sugar addiction, and Bill Barretta as Phil Phillips, her disgraced former puppet partner. They were once a star team and the pride of the department until an incident led to Phillips’ dismissal.
Having left the LAPD, Phillips is now a private investigator, “fighting for the felt” in the City of Angels. When several cast members of The Happytime Gang — a beloved children’s program from the 90’s — are murdered, Edwards and Phillips must begrudgingly reunite to track down the serial killer. Hilarity ensues as they fall into their old routine of constant bickering and trading insults while they infiltrate the fuzzy underbelly of Los Angeles.
