Tarantino and Latifah Meet the Muppets on ABC
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Quentin Tarantino is an Oscar-winning writer-director, Ashanti is a Grammy winning singer and Queen Latifah has both a Grammy and an Oscar nomination, but for all of their accolades, these three stars really just want to work with the Muppets.
Ashanti is signed, Latifah is in negotiations and Tarantino is set to make a guest appearance in ABC’s original telefilm “The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz.”
Airing as part of ABC’s venerable Wonderful World of Disney franchise, “The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz” will star Ashanti (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) as Kansas-based Dorothy Gale, an aspiring performer stuck working at her Auntie Em’s (Latifah) diner.
A twister whisks Dorothy off to a Muppet-filled world, where she makes pilgrimage to Oz with a Scarecrow (Kermit the Frog), a Tin Man (Gonzo the Great) and a Lion (Fozzie the, well, Bear). Thwarting Dorothy’s mission home is the Wicked Witch (Miss Piggy).
Tarantino will make a guest appearance as the film’s director, coaching Kermit through an action scene.
“I’m beside myself to have these mega-talented actresses, Ashanti and Queen Latifah, and Quentin Tarantino’s involvement is an example for something the Muppets have done really well — breaking the fourth wall,” ABC movies and miniseries chief Quinn Taylor tells The Hollywood Reporter.
Muppet veteran Kirk R. Thatcher (2002’s NBC pic “Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie”) will direct the Frank Baum adaptation, which will feature songs, but won’t officially be a musical. Lisa Henson and Brian Henson will executive produce for the Jim Henson Co.
Disney acquired rights to the Muppets in February, but development on this project began at Jim Henson Co. and ABC before that time. Originally the project was set up at Fox TV Studios.
Categories