When you think about the Muppets, whom would you think would be the hardest to work with? We asked director, James Bobin, and he left it up to us to guess. I am sure there are no “divas” on the set of a Muppets film causing any problems. Right?!
James Bobin
Actually, Mr. Bobin said that all of the Muppets were a joy to work with. After all, being a huge fan from watching the Muppets as a kid, he said that he felt like he was getting to work with his heroes. Wait… Gonzo is a superhero, right? So, I can totally see what he would say that. Although he was perhaps most enamored with Kermit and was honored to be able to work with him… as well as write lines for him. I could only imagine.
Since James Bobin also directed The Muppets, his learning curve was bit easier on Muppets Most Wanted and he knew more about how to work with them. His goal throughout the film, no matter which Muppet he was working with, was to bring them alive. To make the world feel realistic. Having one movie with the Muppets behind him, Mr. Bobin knew he wanted to push this movie a little further. Go a little more adventurous. And he totally did just that.
Constantine definitely gave James something to work with. Think about it. The Muppets act on a platform about 4′ high. This gives their puppeteers somewhere to spend there time away from the camera. Constantine does a few dance and fight sequences in Muppets Most Wanted. Being able to have as much puppeteering involved as possible… and not doing a fully animated Muppet… is important to Mr. Bobin in keeping with the realism of the film. Watching the movie, you can get an appreciation for his desire to do so.
In fact, he told us that the most difficult scene for him to shoot was the Muppet ladder near the end of the film. Since each Muppet’s body is completely in the frame, each one holding onto the other, and a helicopter is hovering overhead, the scene had to be perfect. It ended up taking them 2-and-a-half weeks to shoot this one sequence. That is amazing to know how much work… as well as dedication and passion… go into making each frame the best it can be.
Even with the challenges, when asked what his favorite scene was, James Bobin knew just which one to discuss. Watching Miss Piggy’s dream come alive on the stage as she sang with Celine Dion was both comical and emotional. Being able to pull both elements into this one musical sequence was a success. Considering his aim for the whole movie was to have both humor and emotion intertwined, Mr. Bobin achieved that and was pleased.
Now, you know it had to be asked. Is there another Muppet movie in the works? Mr. Bobin said that although there is currently no new Muppets movie in production, he would love to do another one. He says they are incredibly fun to work on. Not to mention, his humility tells him how lucky he is to have the job he does… doing what he loves to… and being happy with the end result.
Muppets Most Wanted is now in theaters everywhere.
You can see the movie (again, again) in theaters everywhere! Be sure to like The Muppets on Facebook, follow @TheMuppets on Twitter, and follow #MuppetsMostWantedEvent for more about the movie and red carpet experience.