It seems that the new Disney management has the intelligence enough to know the best asset at the Mouse House is the Pixar Brain Trust. Principals involved in the new Muppets movie recently flew up to Pixar HQ for a table read and to pick the noggins of Brad Bird, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton,
Michael Arndt, Bob Peterson and president Ed Catmull among others. This is the second time in recent months that Disney has reached out to the animation superstars of the company to get help with a live action project (the first being Tron Legacy).
One might chalk it up to the heavy task the filmmakers have given themselves by naming their new film, The Greatest Muppet Movie Ever Made. If you’re laying it out there like that, you better make sure the movie is what it calls itself; and undoubtedly, Pixar can help them do that. The new Muppets movie is being directed by James Bobin and producers David Hoberman and
Todd Lieberman. Bobin’s background is as a writer and director for Da Ali G Show and Flight of the Conchords, while Hoberman’s producing credits include Monk, The Proposal and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Lieberman has produced Surrogates, Traitor and Wild Hogs among several other films.
Considering how recent Disney movies have done, and Pixar’s tremendous track record, I’m wondering how long it is before all this Pixar middle man crap is over and Lasseter, Bird and company simply pack up their shit and set up shop in Burbank in the Corporate Offices proper.