Maya Rudolph is joining her Bridesmaids co-star Melissa McCarthy in STXfilms’ The Happytime Murders, a comedy that Brian Henson will direct in conjunction with Jim Henson Company’s Henson Alternative banner.
The comedy is set in the underbelly of a Los Angeles where puppets and humans co-exist. Two clashing detectives, one human (McCarthy) and one puppet, are forced to work together to figure out who is brutally murdering the former cast of The Happytime Gang, a beloved classic puppet show. A year ago, Jamie Foxx was in talks to star in Happytime Murders, but that did not solidify.
Rudolph and McCarthy first shared the screen together in the box office hit comedy Bridesmaids in 2011. That film grossed a whopping $288.3 million worldwide. They will also be seen together in McCarthy and Ben Falcone’s Life Of The Party for New Line Cinema.
Henson, McCarthy, Jeffrey Hayes and Falcone will serve as Happytime producers, while Lisa Henson, Dee Robertson and John W. Hyde will executive produce. McCarthy and Falcone will producer under their On the Day Productions banner.
The story is by Todd Berger & Dee Robertson; the screenplay is by Berger, Robertson, Erich & Jon Hoeber and McCarthy. STXfilms VP Production Sheroum Kim and creative executive Kate Vorhoff oversaw the production.
Rudolph is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and attorneys Hirsch Wallerstein.
Must Read Stories
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.