Muppets Most Wanted is a 2014 American musical comedy caper film produce by Walt Disney Pictures and Mandeville Films, and the eighth theatrical film featuring the Muppets. Directed by James Bobin and written by Bobin and Nicholas Stoller, the film is a sequel to 2011's The Muppets and stars Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey, as well as Muppet performers Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, and Peter Linz. In the film, the Muppets find themselves unwittingly involved in an international crime caper while on tour in Europe. The majority of the production team behind The Muppets returned for Muppets Most Wanted including Bobin, Stoller, producers David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, music supervisor Bret McKenzie, and composer Christophe Beck. Principal photography commenced in January 2013 at Pinewood Studios in London. Muppets Most Wanted premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on March 11, 2014 and was released theatrically in North America on March 21, 2014. The film received positive reviews, although it was not as commercially successful as its predecessor, grossing only $78 million worldwide.
Movie Details:
Directed by: James Bobin
Produced by: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman
Written by: Nicholas Stoller, James Bobin
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey
Music by: Christophe Beck
Cinematography: Don Burgess
Edited by: James Thomas
Production company: Walt Disney Pictures, Mandeville Films
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios, Motion Pictures
Release date(s): March 11, 2014 (El Capitan Theatre), March 21, 2014 (United States)
Running time: 113 minutes 123 minutes (Extended Edition)
Country: United States
Language: English
Budget: $50 million
Box office: $78,183,113
Plot:
Immediately following the events of their last film, the Muppets find themselves at a loss as to what to do for their sequel. They agree to Ricky Gervais's suggestion to go on a European tour with his character Dominic Badguy as their manager. Meanwhile, the evil and immoral criminal mastermind Constantine, who bears a strong resemblance to Kermit the Frog, escapes from Siberian Gulag 38B and joins his subordinate Badguy. The two plan to steal the Crown Jewels of England on a robber quests. Arriving in Berlin by train, Dominic secures the Muppets a show at a prestigious venue. Kermit, frustrated with the troupe's ludicrous requests and Miss Piggy's insistent hints at marriage, takes a stroll along a foggy canal as per Badguy's advice. Constantine suddenly appears out of nowhere and says "boo", causing Kermit to scream, then slaps a fake mole on Kermit's cheek, making him look like Constantine on nearby wanted posters. Constantine then escapes as Kermit is falsely identified as Constantine. The police arrive and arrest Kermit and send him to Gulag 38B. Constantine takes Kermit's place with everyone except Animal believing it's Kermit. During the Berlin performance, Constantine and Badguy steal paintings from a nearby museum. Kermit makes numerous escape attempts at Gulag 38B, each one thwarted by prison guard Nadya. Aware of his true identity, Nadya orders Kermit to help organize the annual Gulag talent show. The next morning, Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon and CIA Agent Sam Eagle grudgingly ally to apprehend the culprit, whom Napoleon identifies as his nemesis "the Lemur". Following instructions hidden behind one of the stolen paintings, Constantine and Badguy divert the tour to Madrid. Constantine informs the Muppets they can perform any act they wish, much to Walter's suspicion. The Muppets perform in Madrid while Constantine and Badguy find the next set of instructions to steal the crown jewels, destroying many busts in a museum in the process. In spite of a disastrous performance that sends the audience to sleep, the Muppets receive critical acclaim. Sam and Napoleon deduce that the connection between the crimes is the Muppet tour, and the pair interrogates the Muppets to little success. By the time the tour reaches Dublin, Ireland, Walter and Fozzie reveal Badguy's and Constantine's ruse as Walter discovers Badguy bribing critics to write positive reviews while Fozzie Bear realizes the resemblance between Kermit and the mock Kermit, Constantine. Fozzie and Walter finally deduce that Constantine is on the tour train imitating Kermit and that Badguy is Constantine's accomplice. Constantine, seeing they have found him out, attacks them, but Animal fends him off and the three escape the criminal by hopping on another train. They conclude the best course of action is to go rescue Kermit. At the climax of their performance in Dublin, Constantine proposes to Miss Piggy, who accepts; the pair will marry at the Tower of London. Arriving in London, Constantine and Badguy conspire to use the wedding as a distraction while Badguy uses a locket stolen in Dublin, along with the assistance of Bobby Benson's Baby Band, to steal the crown jewels. Fozzie, Walter, and Animal arrive at the Gulag and inform Kermit of Constantine's plot. The four use the prison show as a front to escape along with the rest of the prisoners, and they head to London much to Nadya's dismay. The wedding gets underway and in the Crown Jewel room, Badguy disables the security system guarding the jewels, successfully stealing them. Kermit interrupts the wedding ceremony, revealing Constantine to be his criminal twin. Constantine escapes with Piggy as hostage. Arriving at their helicopter, Constantine comes across Badguy — revealed to be the world's number-two criminal was the Lemur in a lemur costume — with the purloined Imperial State Crown. Badguy announces his intent to double-cross Constantine, who ejects Badguy from the helicopter and takes flight with Piggy. Kermit intercepts and the rest of the Muppets climb atop each other in a "Muppet ladder" to stop the helicopter, with the help of an irate Piggy.
Constantine and Badguy are arrested for the attempted theft. Nadya arrives in London to arrest Kermit for initiating the prison escape and "breaking her heart." The rest of the Muppets inform Nadya that if Kermit is arrested, they're going with him. Nadya relents, deciding Kermit belongs with them, and drops the charges. The Muppet tour concludes at Gulag 38B where Constantine and the inmates participate in the prison show.