Ricky Gervais is in talks to play one of the three human leads in the upcoming sequel to The Muppets.
The Hollywood Reporter says that Gervais’ role would be more than just a cameo, and he would join previously cast human Ty Burrell in one of the starring roles.
Gervais would play the lead (as much as one can be a lead opposite Kermit, Fozzie and Miss Piggy), with his stature being compared to the role played by Jason Segel in the 2011 movie. But the nature of his character is unknown because the script is being kept secret. Also unclear is whether the part calls for singing, a requirement for the first movie.
Ty Burrell replaced Christoph Waltz in the role of a lazy Interpol inspector in the James Bobin-directed sequel to the wildly successful 2011 The Muppets. Bobin returns to the director’s chair without star and co-writer of the original film, Jason Segel. Bret Mckenzie, who won an Oscar for the film, is set to return as a writer of music for the film, which will be co-written by Nicholas Stoller, who is returning.
The sequel is said to be a European adventure, although like previously mentioned, exact plot details are not yet known. Production is set to begin next month in London. David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are returning to produce.
Gervais had shot a cameo appearance for The Muppets, however the sequence did not make it into the final cut of the film.