Imagine Bad Boys or Miami Vice is one of the cops was a puppet, and you've got the idea behind The Happytime Murders. Brian Henson of The Jim Henson Company has been developing the film for nearly a decade, and finally he's found his human star in Jamie Foxx.
Fox has entered talks to star as a detective investigating a series of puppet murders linked to a TV show titled "The Happytime Gang". Foxx's character will be paired up with "a crass, hard-drinking puppet” who will probably get all of the best lines. This sounds like pretty risky material on paper. Sure, we've seen an R-rated Teddy Bear already and mature-themed animation is fairly normal nowadays, but combining puppets and darker, crime oriented material is far from a guaranteed success.
Here's the official synopsis for the film, followed by some concept art pieces from a few years ago.
In a World where puppets co-exist with humans as second class citizens, puppet private eye and disgraced ex-cop, Phil Phillips, is hot on the trail of the serial killer who murdered his brother and is now targeting the cast members of the famous 80s television show, “The Happytime Gang.” As the killings continue, Phil’s former flame, Jenny, is next on the list. It’s up to Phil and his ex-partner, Detective Edwards, to find the culprit, but as bad blood and old resentments resurface the clues start pointing to the only viable suspect, Phil himself. Now he’s on the run with only his wits and hard headed determination, as he tries to solve, “The Happytime Murders.” [Deadline]
