Can you imagine that Walt Disney is by now setting up the next Muppet film? Co-writer of The Muppets Nick Stoller and director James Bobin are presently writing the a follow up to the 2011 hit. Thirteen pages have by now been written and it will be a comedy caper with new heroes. Jason Segel might make a cameo and Disney prefers a summer 2013 launch date–which isn’t realistic. Disney truly wants a follow up as soon as possible, but let’s hope they don’t compromise quality for quantity.

If you’ve never seen it, here’s the trailer for The Great Muppet Caper:

Although neither movie was any match for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn in its second week of presentation, The Muppets was still capable to have a very healthy debut, earning $29 million over the three day weekend. Arthur Christmas, however, wasn’t really as lucky, making far less with an opening weekend of just $12 million versus a production budget of $100 million.

 Futhermore to The Muppets, Arthur also confronted competition from Happy Feet Two, which continued to underwhelm at the box office after its dissapointing debut of $22 million–roughly half of what the original Happy Feet opened to–last week. It currently has a total of $43 million after ten days of release.

Since we have a very good idea of who and what will be in The Muppets, we've got some disappointing information about who won’t be: Steve Carell. The actor was initially set up for a cameo, but has since needed to pull out because of scheduling problems.

Carell made the statement in the course of  interview for Crazy, Stupid, Love. “I’m not in the Muppets movie,” stated Carell, who appeared “saddened” as outlined by Moviehole. “It was discussed… I talked to them… but it didn’t work out, I wasn’t able to do it.”

The scene would’ve appeared in featured Carell (as himself) and many other celebrities at Mc Chow’s restaurant, where they get presented with a serving of a still-very-much-alive Pepe the King Prawn.

There’s no reason to feel too bad for The Muppets, though. Carell may be out, but Zach Galifianakis, Alan Arkin, Wanda Sykes, Billy Crystal, Kathy Griffin, Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt, Mickey Rooney, Mila Kunis, Dave Grohl, John Krasinski, and Jack Black (who was set to show up in the above mentioned scene) are among the long, long list of Hollywood notables who're still in. Not forgetting stars Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, and Rashida Jones, of course.

Directed by James Bobin from a script by Segel and Nicholas Stoller, The Muppets will reach cinemas November 23, 2011.

    GARY (Jason Segel) is devoted to his brother Walter - the two do everything with each other. “Gary comes from Smalltown, USA,” states Jason Segel (TV’s “How I Met Your Mother,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”), a longtime Muppet fan who developed the role with himself in mind. “He’s very naïve, sweet and innocent, and he’s deeply in love with his girlfriend Mary. He’s torn between his brother and growing into a new stage of maturation where it’s time to be with his girlfriend. He’s lived with his brother for a long time so that is his big struggle.”

 The plot thickens when the trio establishes to have a vacation. Says Segel, “The film begins with me and my brother Walter, whose wildest fantasy is to meet the Muppets. My goal is to take a vacation to L.A. with my girlfriend Mary. So we all come to L.A. and while taking a tour of Muppet Studios, which are now decrepit, we find out that they’re going to be torn down to drill for oil. So we have to find Kermit, reunite the Muppets-who have disbanded because of professional rivalries-and put on a show to raise enough money to save the studio.”

    Gary throws himself into the effort, setting his relationship with Mary on the back burner-again. Will he ever be capable to mature and embrace true love?

 With his Kermit t-shirt and watch, WALTER (Walter) is a committed fan of the Muppets. The lifelong citizen of Smalltown, USA, desires of meeting his heroes some day, and feels that-just maybe-he belongs with them. So when brother Gary and his sweetheart Mary arrange a vacation to Los Angeles, Walter joins them with dreams of realizing his dream at last.

    The role represents the big-screen debut for Walter, and one apparently created for him. “I play Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan,” states the star, “which is a real coincidence, since I happen to be the world’s biggest Muppet fan and my name is Walter. It’s like I was made to play this part.”

    Walter finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time-or is it the best time?-when he overhears evil oil baron Tex Richman talking about a plan to destroy Muppet Studios. With the aid of Gary and Mary, it’s Walter who puts the plan in motion to get back together the Muppets and save the studio. His pure-hearted excitement for all things Muppets just might save more than the studio, too.

 MARY (Amy Adams) is a respected shop teacher in Smalltown, USA-at least if the amount of apples on her desk are any suggestion. She's Gary’s longtime sweetheart who often sees herself playing third wheel to Gary and his brother Walter.

    Mary shares Gary and Walter’s sweet, innocent disposition, but she’s growing tired of sharing her boyfriend with Walter. She can’t help but wish for a magical proposal throughout their Los Angeles trip, but her ideas are derailed when news of Muppet Studios’ pending demise initiate the trio into specially non-marriage-proposal action.

    Amy Adams (“The Fighter,” “Julie & Julia”) was named on for the role-in a manner in which was impossible to miss, states the actress. “Jason and Kermit sent me an invitation to be in Disney’s “The Muppets”-they asked if I’d read the story and think about the role of Mary. Kermit was a big part of my choice. I don’t like to tell Jason that ‘cause he’s a little sensitive that I might be a fan of Kermit, but I am.”

KERMIT THE FROG (Kermit the Frog) lives a calm, solitary life. It’s been quite a while since the Muppets last performed together and Kermit doesn’t realize how much he misses his friends until he’s found by Walter, Gary and Mary from Smalltown, USA, and persuaded to get back together with the rest of the Muppets to save Muppet Studios.

    Coming back to the role he made well-known in six previous Muppet films, “The Muppet Show” and numerous TV specials and internet videos, is Kermit the Frog. “I’ve played other parts, like Bob Crachit in ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’ and Captain Smollett in ‘Muppet Treasure Island,’ states Kermit, “but I think me is my favorite part.”

    The role is a bit of a departure for the frog famous for his unifying spirit and award-winning songs like “The Rainbow Connection.” “The film is full of humor, music and adventure-like all the Muppet films,” states Kermit. “But I play quite a dramatic role. You see a side of me that maybe you haven’t notice before-and I’m not just taking about new camera angles. Acting wise, I really stretch to play me. One of my favorite moments is singing a brand new original song called ‘Pictures in my Head.’ I walk through the halls of a big mansion looking at portraits of my Muppet friends and missing those guys. It was very emotional…and I think it will disprove critics who’ve said ‘the frog can’t emote.’”

    Kermit, who’s always the glue that maintains the Muppets together, carries a big job in this film, going head to head with Tex Richman-a guy who’s lost his laugh-to save the studio.

 TEX RICHMAN (Chris Cooper) is a rich oil baron who’s concocted a devious plan to ruin Muppet Studios, most probably to search for the oil he states is underneath.

    But the reality, states Chris Cooper (“Adaptation,” “The Bourne Identity”), who portrays the bad guy, is that Tex has a personal vendetta against the Muppets. “He blames the Muppets for a horrible situation that happened to him at his 10th birthday party,” states Cooper. “He is not able to laugh and has promised to destroy the Muppets.”

    But Tex Richman’s lack of ability to laugh doesn’t stop him from taking part in other Muppet antics. He may be cold-hearted and conniving, but this oil magnate has a couple of secrets up his sleeve that are more fun than fiendish.

MISS PIGGY (Miss Piggy) features her diva attitude and big personality in a new made-to-order show in Disney’s “The Muppets.” As plus-size editor of Vogue Paris, she shares her sublime fashion sensibilities with readers worldwide… in any case until Kermit appears.

    The Frog is there, obviously, as part of his mission to get back together all the Muppets to save Muppet Studios from Tex Richman. But Miss Piggy can read between the lines: she knows an invitation for love when she sees it. And really-how could she say no to Kermie?

    Performing the role of Miss Piggy is none other than Miss Piggy (“Muppets from Space,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”). “It’s the role I was born to play,” states the internationally famous star. “Moi plays a high-powered, confident, charming, gorgeous, scene-stealing star who saves the day and wins her frog’s heart.”

    Her lovers would assume nothing less.

FOZZIE BEAR (Fozzie Bear) exists to make people laugh. So through the Muppets’ extended break depicted in Disney’s “The Muppets,” the stand-up comic bear was motivated to maintain his act and the spirit of the Muppets alive-even if it meant joining up with a Reno casino tribute band known as the Moopets. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the Moopets may be honest, but they’re also a little weird.

    “The Moopets recreate great Muppet moments,” states Fozzie Bear (“The Great Muppet Caper,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”), who's returning on the big screen as his namesake, “at least that’s what they told me we were doing. Could’ve fooled me.”

    No matter of who he shares the stage with, Fozzie will attempt anything to tickle the audience’s funny bones: gags, novelties, whoopee cushions, banana peels, custard pies and recycled jokes that make more winces than laughs-particularly from his in-house hecklers, Statler and Waldorf (also called “those two old guys in the balcony”) In fact, Statler and Waldorf may be the bear’s biggest fans. Though they’d never admit it, they may really be thrilled to see Fozzie and the Muppets reunited-and they might have to throw the bear a laugh or two on this occasion if it means saving Muppet Studios.


 VERONICA (Rashida Jones) is a network executive called on by the Muppets to air their studio-saving telethon. She’s not easily influenced, and it’ll require a big-name star to close off the deal.

    Actress Rashida Jones (“The Social Network,” TV’s “The Office) portrays the tough-as-nails lady to make an impression on. “I play a hard-nosed, stressed-out TV executive,” states Jones, “but I'm the only person who gives the Muppets the opportunity to air their fundraising telethon. I certainly crack the whip, though, because I’m frightened of losing my job and I’m scared it’s not going to be successful-I yell at Kermit a lot.”

    It won’t be easy, but with luck ,, Kermit can charm Veronica like he charms every woman, network exec and diva pig he runs into.

GONZO THE GREAT (The Great Gonzo) continues to be very busy after the Muppets last performed. In Disney’s “The Muppets,” Kermit, Walter and the team find that Gonzo’s career is on the drain-literally. “I play a plumbing magnate,” states the daredevil who comes back to the role he singlehandedly made famous. “In this film, we see what goes on when I follow plumbing-my original career option. Actually, show business and plumbing have a lot in common-especially when thinking about clogs and snakes.”

    It takes some convincing-and an rise in health insurance coverage-to get Gonzo back on stage. Thankfully, Gonzo (“The Muppets Take Manhattan,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”), a pioneer of all things weird, can’t stay away of the wild and crazy stunts he performs to earn the eternal admiration (not forgetting shock and awe) of his audience-and one very special chicken named Camilla.

    Gonzo’s stage act, including shooting himself from a cannon, balancing a piano on his nose, or eating radial tires to classical music, will probably often result in disaster… but that’s the whole point!

    ANIMAL (Animal), the ultimate rock n’ roll survivor, finally addresses a difficult character trait and finds himself in an anger management program in Disney’s “The Muppets.” He’s changed in his drums for a flute and is fighting to redefine his identity. As if…

    But don't worry, fans of the over-the-top, monosyllabic, appetite-with-legs drummer from Dr. Teeth’s Electric Mayhem Band. Once reunited with the Muppets, Animal’s incessant (yet innocent) search of rock n’ roll, food and women (not always in that order) comes back. “Me like,” states Animal (“Muppet Treasure Island,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”). “Movie good.”