According to Daniel Richtman, Jon Watts is currently in talks to direct “Muppet Man,” a biopic about The Muppets creator Jim Henson.
The project is written by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Chris Weitz (“About a Boy,” “Rogue One”), and has quietly been picking up momentum over the past year.
Watts is coming off “Wolfs,” the Clooney-Pitt Apple-backed crime caper that underdelivered both critically and commercially. The film, which reunited two of the biggest stars of the 2000s, was meant to be a stylized two-hander but ultimately played like a cold and uninspired genre exercise. It fizzled out quickly upon release, and any talk of a sequel has since evaporated.
Now comes “Muppet Man,” which—if it goes forward—would mark a tonal departure for Watts. Henson’s life, from his early days creating experimental puppetry to global fame with The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, offers a rich emotional canvas. This could be the humanistic reset Watts needs after “Wolfs” left many scratching their heads.
No casting has been announced, and it’s unclear how close Watts is to sealing the deal. But if this moves forward, expect interest from a range of A-listers for the Henson role—it’s the kind of prestige play that actors love to chase.
It should be noted, Watts, recently inked a first-look deal with Disney. The studio is looking to use him creatively in similar fashion to how J.J. Abrams was tasked to oversee Star Wars for the mouse house. The Henson project might be part of that deal.
Prior to “Wolfs,” and following his Sundance breakout debut, “Cop Car,” Watts has fully concentrated his creative energy on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having directed three Tom Holland-starring Spider-Man movies.
More to come.