Cool News
Christoph Waltz Out, Ty Burrell In For THE MUPPETS 2!!
The Kidd here...
I've got nothing against Ty Burrell at all. I haven't seen a single episode of MODERN FAMILY, so, at the height of his popularity, I couldn't really tell you what he brings to the table being cast as one of the human stars of THE MUPPETS 2. But anyone would have to admit that landing on Burrell from Christoph Waltz, who had been up for that same role but ultimately had scheduling conflicts torpedo the whole thing, feels like a bit of a downgrade.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Burrell has inked a deal to play an Interpol inspector in the Europe-based sequel, which will once again be directed by James Bobin. Nicholas Stoller, who co-wrote the first film, also penned the script for the follow-up, alongside Bobin, so at least we know THE MUPPETS 2 is in capable hands once more. Please let Bret McKenzie come back for the musical portion again, too, while we're at it.
The first MUPPETS film really felt like a return to form for these characters we've loved for quite some time, but had been so misused over the years. Hopefully, they can keep that momentum going. Christoph Waltz would have been nice... but Ty Burrell will have to do.
-Billy Donnelly
"The Infamous Billy The Kidd"
Follow me on Twitter.
Readers Talkback
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Lighten up Scrooge.
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Waltz would have played it more as that stoic German agent, which would have been funny I admit. Burrell is the kind of comedy where he thinks he's in on the joke, but he's out of the loop.
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Dec. 7, 2012, 10:56 p.m. CST
This will be replaced with an article by Harry proclaiming his excitement over the casting.
by thefreshestthing
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Hopefully whatever schedule conflic arose means Waltz is doing something more worth his time then Muppets 2. These are the kind of movies sitcom actors SHOULD be doing, not guys like Christopher Waltz.
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Dec. 7, 2012, 11:15 p.m. CST
Aw shit...I was looking forward to the Muppets meeting Hans Landa
by Nasty In The Pasty
The Muppets always work best with "serious" actors playing everything straight...look at Michael Caine in Muppet Christmas Carol.
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...but the comedy he showed in I.B. was as unsettling as it was real. It was an uncomfortable laugh because we knew what he; as his character; was capable of. In The Green Hornet, again, the comedy was played differently, more slapstick than the satire The Muppets have been known for. Burrell has proven himself extremely capable in many forms of comedy. Slapstick, broad, self deprecating... he is a pro in that field. So his casting over Waltz isn't, to me at least, a downgrade or an upgrade. Both could've worked depending on the material.
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Dec. 7, 2012, 11:36 p.m. CST
This film is called THE MUPPETS 2 and after you see it, you’ll know the name and what it stands for.
by The_Cellarrat
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Dec. 7, 2012, 11:51 p.m. CST
This is a step UP in casting for a Muppets movie! Waltz is great, but Burrell is PERFECT for Muppets in the same way Steve Martin was perfect!
by AntonStark
I still can't believe he's the same actor who played the sleazy guy who fucks the girl in the mall in Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake. I don't watch much tv, especially shitcoms, but after hearing raves about Modern Family I still didn't want to even try it out because of my memories of Burrell in DOTD. But then I heard that even the fucking President likes the show and I gave it a try and if it keeps up what's its doing through its entire run then its going to be a classic.
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Dec. 7, 2012, 11:53 p.m. CST
Are you guys going to keep trolling with the jack reacher shit? It's not punishing the site. It's torturing other readers.
by AntonStark
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Dec. 8, 2012, 12:13 a.m. CST
Antonstark is an old school man with internally created way of life.
by The_Cellarrat
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Dec. 8, 2012, 12:28 a.m. CST
Has Waltz Done ANYTHING To Deserve Praise Since Inglorious?
by Crow3711
No. He's been just another guy in every movie he's been in since. I'm sure Tarantino will give him something fantastic in Django, sure. But saying it's a downgrade to Burrell just because Waltz gave one phenomenol performance, when Burrell gives award-worthy performances every week on a pretty good, if formulaic, sitcom. I guarantee Burrell will work harder and be funnier in this role than Waltz would have been. Guarantee.
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I almost would rather have them go a different direction musically, not because I didn't love what Bret did, but because of how badly the second season of Concords was musically. It didn't hold a candle to the fresh awesomeness that the first season was filled with. I worry that the same will happen if he tries to tap the well again. Maybe a different approach is needed.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 1:36 a.m. CST
Ty Burrell uses the Greyhound bus system to travel. No ID checks, no tracking. You get the idea…
by BD Mahony
Hot Gay Sex in the Little Bathroom in the Back... In the back.
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Waltz could have been fun (thought he showed some interesting comedic chops in CARNAGE), but Burrell's a great choice for a Muppet film. (Full disclosure: he was a college classmate for a couple of years, so I'm a supporter of him getting as much work as he can.)
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I don't think this post has the right context.
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I have no desire at all to see the guy from Trading Spaces in a muppet movie. Unless he is building a gloryhole for Elmo
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Don't be so downbeat.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 4:29 a.m. CST
I've purposely ignored Modern Family from the get go as it looks so mainstream, broad and popular...therefore shit...am I missing anything?
by Sean
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FUUUUUUUUCK you. Gahdammit. THAWFT.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 5:36 a.m. CST
Burrell looks and acts like a Muppet, so the casting is actually TOO spot on.
by tylerzero
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Dec. 8, 2012, 6:24 a.m. CST
Modern Family is really good mainstream family comedy! And Ty Burell is BY FAR the funniest guy on TV right now! Love him! "Don't talk black at me!"
by MariusXe
Seriously, its a really cool show, IF you have no problem with the warm and fuzzy family stuff. On my own I would've never watched it, but my girlfriend made that choice impossile. I am quite happy she did that, since I would really missed out on a great show. When Modern Family is great, its easy the best comedy in TV. And Ty Burell... I love him so much in this show. His character and the stuff he does with him... my favorite comedy character in the last few years!
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Dec. 8, 2012, 6:28 a.m. CST
Sorry, Burrell, not Burell. Oh, and by the way... Waltz is hugely overrated! He was good in Basterds, but anything else was total shit.
by MariusXe
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Kidd's ignorant (he admits never seeing the MF show) whining aside, this is actually 'cool news.'
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Dec. 8, 2012, 7:51 a.m. CST
taylor_kitschs_rectal_leprosy yes, you are missing out. If you like Arrested Development you'd like Modern Family
by JackSlater4
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Best TV comedy since Arrested Development
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Record an episode of Modern Family. Or watch one On Demand. Then maybe you'll know what Burrell "brings to the table". You're a fucking critic for a media site, for Christ's sake.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 8:37 a.m. CST
Ty Burrell is fantastic, underplays things perfectly, and is a super nice guy to boot so YAY!
by unfaithfullyyours
But I still need someone to explain that wtf Muppet Man gag from the first film to me. Loved the film but I had no idea what the hell that was.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 9:26 a.m. CST
muppets go meta/ how i want to see the movie again about as much as i want to stare at Nicholas Cage's bald head on the box cover for Adaptation
by sasquatch_with_a_swatch_watch
I love how 3/4 of that movie were basically apologizing for the Muppets existense, like, "here we are in a world that would rather suck a fucking flavorless CGI ice cream cone at Wal-Mart, but hi-dee-ho let's put on a show" That movie was more depressing than Schindler's List. Shwartzman's List. Oh wait, that was Jason Segal. Muppets have occasionally put out really good, criminally underseen work since Jim's passing, but the only -film- to nail them tonally, was MUPPETS IN SPACE. it's a masterpiece. and somebody should start a fucking letter writing campaign to the Henson kids to do more with classic properties like FRAGGLES and CRYSTAL then music videos and an underground comic. HENSON MAKES CGI CARTOONS NOW, PEOPLE. That's how bad it is out there.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 9:30 a.m. CST
he's still a sitcom actor who does Infinity cable company voiceovers, you assholes.
by sasquatch_with_a_swatch_watch
all I can see, is him as that annoying guy you wanted to see eaten by zombies, QUICK, in Dawn of the Dead. fuck all this modern smarmy horseshit. you can wipe your ass on Disney, it means that much as family entertainment now. it's all business. fight back.
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But you are aware there's an invention called television, and on this invention they show shows?
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Dec. 8, 2012, 10:21 a.m. CST
Hey, I can do this too! I've never seen anything Christoph was in...
by Fawst
Other than the Django trailer. I think Ty being recast is an upgrade.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 10:35 a.m. CST
his wife delivered the Zombie Baby in Dawn of the Dead remake
by future help
in Muppets 2...she will deliver a baby Animal! (as in ANIMAL the Muppet drummer)
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They are different, but Ty is easily as great as Waltz. You may want to educate yourself on a subject, before coming across as a tool due to your ignorance of it.
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I don't know this guy, but I'm going to bitch about him because I THINK this other guy is better, but I have no way of comparing, even though the guy I like is not that great at comedy to begin with.
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I guess putting part of my rant in quotes (sarcastically speaking as Kidd) cut out everything else, so here is the rest of my rant... ... seriously, you wrote a column stating your own ignorance regarding Ty and his capabilities, and then COMPLAINING about his casting? What kind of retarded fan boy are you? Seriously... this is the kind of person Harry has writing for the site now. I mean, I know when Drew left for HitFix, he took the largest chunk of respectability and writing talent AICN could hang its hat on with him, but this is beyond the pale. This is Kidd: I don't know this guy, but I'm going to bitch about him because I THINK this other guy is better, but I have no way of comparing, even though the guy I like is not that great at comedy to begin with. Seriously... this is the kind of reactionary, fanboy bullshit to which no actual writer would sink. Drew McWeeny would never set fingers to keyboard to bitch about casting on a film when he had no frakking FRAME OF REFERENCE for his complaints! Why? BECAUSE IT COMPLETELY UNDERMINES YOUR ARGUMENT!!! Frak.
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And he's got impeccable comic timing. He'll elevate any comedy material. This is a very good thing.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 11:49 a.m. CST
Modern Family is great and Burrell is one of the best things about it.
by Monolith_Jones
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The "obituary" Herc's wrote for Jerry Orbach (which was along the lines of "I never had much use for Law and Order, but Jerry Orbach was in it, and he died.") Still one of the worst and most disrespectful things I've ever read on this site.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 12:49 p.m. CST
Christoph Waltz was a great Venom in Spiderman 3 but I preferred him in That 70's Show
by spacechampion
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Dec. 8, 2012, 12:55 p.m. CST
Headgeek has chosen Ty Burrell... Here's Why...
by Stereotypical Evil Archer
'Cause he's a fuckin' badass that's why! Christoph Waltz is a fucking lame-ass pussy compared to Ty Burrell! DON'T FUCK WITH THE TY BURRELL! Oh, and the dude's funny.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 1:03 p.m. CST
DOES ANYBODY "NOT" LIKE TY BURRELL? HE'S GREAT. HE WILL DO A BETTER JOB IN A MUPPETS MOVIE THAN WALTZ. ALSO, MCKENZIE IS CONFIRMED AS DOING MUSIC ALREADY
by Darth Busey
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Dec. 8, 2012, 1:04 p.m. CST
IF GOING WITH AN "INTERPOL" ANGLE, SACHA BARON COHEN COULD DO A PRETTY GOOD CLOUSEAU-TYPE CHARACTER, TOO.
by Darth Busey
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Seriously though, Ty is a better fit for muppets.
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I mean...I get having the cameo's and side characters...but do we NEED a human main character in "The Muppets"? I never really tuned in to watch the humans.
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Still no Kkan.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 3:08 p.m. CST
It's a good freakin' thing that G.D.T. isn't directing the Muppets 2.
by jellypop
Harry would go NUTS.
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But I am 40.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 3:50 p.m. CST
"I've never seen the man's work, but he MUST be a step down from Chris "Olivier" Waltz.
by honestune
You really come off as a snot, dude. More often than not, I'd say.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 5:16 p.m. CST
Is this like the Charles Durning role in the first Muppet movie?
by Drath
No offense to either actor, but I'd peg both for villain roles before lovable costars of the Muppets. Also, Burrell was so not right for Doc Samson, even if they intended to recast once he got his green hair. One of the more short-sighted choices in the shared-universe Marvel movies. As a Muppet costar he reminds me a lot of Burt from Burt and Ernie, so I don't know how that'll work.
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Dec. 8, 2012, 9:52 p.m. CST
Not that I care about this in any way, shape or form, but Ty Burrell seems well suited for this movie.
by Cotton_Mcknight
I have never even seen him on Modern Family- I only know him from that old Kelsey Grammar how "Back to You". It was a funny show and he has a good delivery. He is well suited for this. It's not an inspired choice, but a logical one.
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Just because they usually suck.
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Dec. 9, 2012, 1:38 p.m. CST
Yeah, Bobo_cockonthebrain_vision... Or, you know... PARENTS with children with which they'd like to relive the nostalgia of The Muppets....
by RockHardTobascoSlimJim
Please do the world a favor and climb in an oven.
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But it wouldn't fun to see Waltz doing some straight up comedy. I mean I thought he was funny in The Green Hornet, but he was still just a villain. It would've fun to see him doing something really different.
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Clearly you took offense to my suggestion that closeted gays hide under nostalgia in their love for the muppets as demonstrated by your vitriol towards me....and then look at your name. rockhardtobacsoslimjim????? You named yourself after a cylindrical piece of meat, but added your own twist, that being rockhard....because clearly you like your meat hard before you put it in your mouth.
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As far as I'm concerned, Waltz IS The Muppets.
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Why should they? Nostalgia is a brain disease, an early sign of Alzheimer's, as far as kids are concerned. And they have reason for that attitude: why should they care about smelly arm socks when they have the wonders of CGI, when they've seen the Toy Storys and the Incredibles and the Lion King and How to Train your Dragon??? How can any freakin' kid-raping Muppet compare with that? Disney committed to this sequel before the DVD sales of "The Muppets" came out and bombed bigtime. Now it's stuck. Waltz was smart to bail on this. This second film won't have the wet-dream Jason Segel in it, who traded his cred for his fanboi fantasy (his career is pretty much done now, and it says something that even HE doesn't want to do another Muppet film) and it won't have the nostalgia power, PLUS there's that li'l Elmo scandal to tarnish it a bit. I hope this films bombs and ends the career of that idiot Robert/Roger Iger (whatever his name is) and stops the endless purchasing of crap that Disney's been doing of late. Maybe some day, Disney will start being Disney again and it will start amazing us all like it used to. Someday.
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They botched the tone, downgraded the muppets to secondary characters in favor of the humans and generally shit all over the franchise. <br /><br /> How many songs were there in that film sung by muppets without humans? 2? And guess how many lines Rizzo the Rat had? None. <br /><br /> Frank Oz was the only smart one for bailing after reading the script, and Steve Whitmire and Dave Goelz blew it by not removing their names from the credits when they were considering it. <br /><br /> Everyone involved except Segal knew this thing was below them.
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Dec. 11, 2012, 2:27 p.m. CST
set in europe means the first one didn't do so hot internationally
by CreamCheeseAlchemist
I seem to recall that's why Cars 2 was set overseas. The Nascar stuff didn't translate well, shock
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