Studio:
Columbia Pictures.
Production Company:
S/h Productions/Jim Henson Pictures.
Project Phase: Greenlighted.
Who's In It:
Gonzo; Kermit the Frog; Miss Piggy; Andie MacDowell; Jeffrey Tambor (K. Edgar Singer); Ray Liotta; David Arquette;
Pat Hingle.
Who's Making It:
Tim Hill (Director); Jerry Juhl, Joseph Mazzarino, Ken Kaufman (Screenwriters); Brian Henson,
Martin Baker (Producers); Kristine Belson, Stephanie Allain (Executive Producers); Timothy M. Bourne, Alex Rockwell
(Co-producers).
Premise: Gonzo leaves Earth to seek out his family roots out in space.
Release Date: July 23, 1999 (unoconfirmed.)
Comments: Okay, folks at Henson, listen up -- you've got to have a cameo (at least) by Pigs...in...Space...!
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
[Page draft submitted by 'Widgett', who looks a lot like Sweetums in real life.]
February 8, 1998...Production on this latest Muppet adventure is expected to start later this year. We here at CA couldn't be more happy (except if Quentin Tarantino were somehow involved in making another Muppet feature -- ah, never mind, it'll never happen...) [Information originally appeared in ZENtertainment, reported by 'Widgett'.]
May 30, 1998... A scooper from Sydney, Australia, tells us that computer FX houses were recently competing for work on a "space-themed" Jim Henson Production. Now the winner is scouring Australia for animators proficient in 3D Studio Max to work on the project.
The scooper wants us to make sure that although he hasn't heard any Muppets being mentioned with this project, the phrase 'Space Chase' has been associated with the theatrical FX project... ['Mr. Slappy' walks into the saloon and throws a wink to the bartender.]
July 28, 1998... Another scooper informs us that 'Space Chase' isn't the name of the new Muppet movie...it's the working title of a new Jim Henson productions Sci-Fi TV series. Aah. [Anonymous.]
December 14, 1998... A couple of items of note. Some have been confusing this project with one that Henson and company are involved with for The Sci-Fi Channel, entitled Space Chase, or as has been reported, renamed as Farscape. Also, in an apparent really early promotional tie-in, jars of jelly have been spotted sporting "Muppets in Space" and Rizzo the Rat in a space helmet. [Thanks to grocery shoppers 'jcapaul,' 'pskyoboy2,' 'Bubbakisss,' and anonymous; along with 'uncoboy,' and 'adandnat'.]
December 27, 1998... According to a press release from Jim Henson Pictures, filming began on 9 November in Wilmington, North Carolina. Other than Gonzo, who is definitely the leading...um, thing...you'll see Kermit, Miss Piggy, Rizzo the Rat, Fozzie, Animal, Dr. Teeth along with his Electric Mayhem Band. Among cast members who won't have someone's arm up their posterior are Jeffrey Tambor as a government operative, David Arquette, Pat Hingle, Ray Liotta and Andie MacDowell. Timothy Hill will be directing (what happened to Kleisner? anyone know?) and the screenplay is by Jerry Juhl and Joseph Mazzarino, not Rick Copp and David Goodman as previously reported. Again, we don't know what happened to them. Other producers announced are listed above. And the film has slightly altered its title to boot; Muppets in Space is out, Muppets From Space is in. [Thanks to 'punger' for the report]
MrAirTime also reported concerning an appearance Kermit and Gonzo made on CNN. What was revealed was a shot of a flying saucer and another one of a Gonzo-like creature wearing a crown. Apparently, expect www.muppetsinspace.com to do something shortly. Right now it just goes to Sony's main film site. He says that they're shooting for a summer release, July 23 in fact, though that hasn't been confirmed yet. [Thanks to 'MrAirtime', our pseudo-inside guy]