Eleven years ago, she wanted a Snuffleupagus for Christmas. This Christmas, Warner Brothers wants her to star in their new Sesame Street movie.
According to a report from Collider‘s Jeff Sneider, the studio is currently eyeing Anne Hathaway to star in the film. The plot is still unknown, but the studio is looking for Hathaway to play the role of Sally. Coincidentally (or perhaps non-coincidentally), Sally was the name of the girl that Gordon showed around Sesame Street in the show’s very first episode. A deal hasn’t been officially reached yet, but it would certainly give momentum to the idea that this movie will happen sooner rather than later.
This wouldn’t be Hathaway’s first work with Sesame Street. She appeared in the 2007 special Elmo’s Christmas Countdown, where she sang “I Want a Snuffleupagus for Christmas.” (And who wouldn’t?) She also starred in the 2002 Encores! production of Carnival, with puppets made by the Muppet Workshop, before it was integrated into Jim Henson’s Creature Shop following Disney’s purchase of the Muppets.
Earlier in the year, Portlandia director Jonathan Krisel was announced as the director for the film, which is expected to be a musical. (Frankly, if it wasn’t, would it really be a Sesame Street movie?) Mike Rosolio (Sean Saves the World, American Vandal) wrote the first draft of the script, while Chris Galletta (The Kings of Summer) wrote the most recent version. Shaun Levy (the Night at the Museum series, Stranger Things) is producing along with Michael Aguilar (The Departed, Kidding). Warner Brothers is co-financing the film with legendary film studio MGM.
I will say, it’s nice to know that Warner Brothers is seriously moving ahead with this film, and Hathaway could bring some serious star power to the project. Of course, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch are major stars in their own right, too, but we all knew that. Keep reading ToughPigs as we follow Sesame Street‘s return to the big screen!
Click here to want a Snuffleupagus and three percent of the total domestic gross for Christmas on the ToughPigs forum!
by Matthew Soberman
