DreamWorks goes 'Undercover' with Jason Segel

Actor Jason Segel has been hard at work on his new film "The Muppets" and he may have just landed his next project in the meantime.

According to Variety Segel has joined the comedy project "Undercover Cop," which is set up at DreamWorks Pictures.

Inspired by a true story, Segel is set to play an undercover cop who infiltrated the New Jersey criminal underworld in the 1980s. Jason Micallef ("Butter") will write the script while Steven Zaillian is producing.

Segel is currently still working on the new film "The Muppets," which is due out in November. The actor co-wrote the script of the film, which has an utterly stacked cast including Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Mickey Rooney, British funnyman Ricky Gervais, Charles Grodin and television chef Rachael Ray. Alan Arkin, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Billy Crystal and Wanda Sykes are set to make cameos.

While I am totally pumped to see if Segel can bring "The Muppets" to their former glory, this is a project that people should keep their eyes on. The idea of Segal playing a cop is funny enough, but couple that with infiltrating the mob? This film could end up being comic gold by the time things are all said and done.

"The Muppets" is still a long way away, but it's good to see Segel add a future project to his already excellent comedy resume. The project could be the actor's next film once he completes work on "Muppets."

Details On Jason Segel's "The Greatest Muppet Movie Of All Time"

Two week's ago, news hit that James Bobin (dir. "Flight of the Conchords") was officially attached to direct Disney's new Muppet movie. Previously known as "The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made," some of the details of the film have now surfaced, reports The Playlist.

According to The Playlist: Written by Jason Segel ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall," TV's "Freaks and Geeks," "How I Met Your Mother") and Nicholas Stoller (dir. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"), the script has previously been known as "The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made," but the film, and script--which is evidently somewhat hard to get your hands on--is now called, "The Greatest Muppet Movie of All Time."

According to a friend of The Playlist: "The Greatest Muppet Movie of All Time" is about Gary, Mary, and Walter (a man, his girlfriend, and the man's life-long nondescript, brown puppet best friend) getting the old Muppet gang--now retired entertainers known for the same Muppet show we know them from--together to save the TV studio that the original show was shot in. A villain, Tex Richman, bent on drilling for oil underneath the studio, is due to take over the studio in weeks and the only way to stop him? Putting on a show that draws 10 million viewers.

Segel and Stoller proved more than capable during their puppet-heavy musical number in "Sarah Marshall," so I think this film has potential to be great. The Muppets haven’t been relevant for decades, and it’ll be nice to see them introduced to another generation. With a talented guy like Segel behind it, this film is moving in the right direction.

Look for the new “Muppet” film sometime in 2011.

From "Flight of the Conchords" to The "Muppet Movie"

James Bobin, co-creator of cult cable comedy series "Flight of the Conchords," has landed the job of directing the new "The Muppets" movie, reports The Vulture Blog.

According to Vulture: "The Flight of the Conchords" may be permanently grounded at HBO, but one of its guiding forces may soon help the Muppets take flight. Vulture has learned that James Bobin, who co-created the critically praised, ratings-challenged, and now-defunct cable show, is being offered the director's chair today on Walt Disney Pictures’ next Muppet movie.

The script, intended to revitalize the franchise, was co-written by known puppetphile Jason Segel and his "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" director Nicholas Stoller. Stoller was originally supposed to direct the Muppet movie, but he was too busy doing postproduction on the Russell Brand "Marshall" spinoff, “Get Him to the Greek,” as well as prepping to direct a new Zac Efron movie at Warner Bros.

The original Muppet Show was envisioned by Jim Henson as an adult show that was suitable for kids, and Bobin's hiring is in keeping with that ethic; he was also a writer on Da Ali G Show.

Bobin was also offered the Kristin Wiig-penned, Judd Apatow-produced comedy "Bridesmaids" but opted out of that project so he could do “Muppets.”

I think this will be a great fit, and I’m also happy to see some progress on this adaptation. When I first heard that Jason Segel was writing the script, I immediately got very excited for this project because I was always a fan of the Muppets. Segel showed off his love for puppets in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," so it’s clear that he will be excited to do the film. It also will be great to see what type of story he crafted as he brings the Muppets to a new generation.

Sources claim the plan is to put the film into production by late summer for release sometime in 2011.