Melissa McCarthy will star in the comedy film The Happytime Murders with Brian Henson (Muppet Treasure Island) set to direct. McCarthy and Ben Falcone’s On The Day Productions, The Jim Henson Company’s Henson Alternative banner, and STXfilms are producing, with Lisa Henson and John W. Hyde executive producing. McCarthy, Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber, and Todd Berger all worked on the script. Filming is expected to get underway in August 2017.
Commenting on the project, McCarthy said, “When a really good script combines puppet strippers, Los Angeles’ underbelly and comedy, it’s like my fever dream has finally come true.”
“Melissa and Ben’s brand of humor is infectiously unique. I am thrilled to be partnering with them and STXfilms on The Happytime Murders,” said Henson.
“Melissa McCarthy is the reigning queen of comedy, and we believe she will make The Happytime Murders the kind of hysterical, edgy, viral event that audiences today crave,” stated STXfilms Chairman Adam Fogelson. “This is the kind of script and material that was made for Melissa’s smart and boundary-pushing sensibilities. Having worked with her years ago on Bridesmaids and Identity Thief, I could not be more delighted or excited to be working with her again.”
The Plot: The comedy is set in the underbelly of Los Angeles where puppets and humans coexist. Two clashing detectives, one human and one puppet, are forced to work together to try and solve who is brutally murdering the former cast of The Happytime Gang, a beloved classic puppet show.
