Number one Mel Gibson fan, Zach Galifianakis, is in talks to join the currently untitled Muppet movie starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Rashida Jones and Chris Cooper.
The project, which is gearing up for a November shoot, is a big one for Disney, as it’s a return to a franchise that hasn’t been on the big screen in quite a few years. Over the summer, a table read for the film was held at Pixar with filmmakers John Lasseter, Brad Bird, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Michael Arndt, Bob Peterson and president Ed Catmull, all on hand to lend their input and make sure everything was right.
The new film will take place within a showbiz setting and follow the Muppets as they try to save their studio from a greedy oil baron (Cooper) who wants to dig for oil. Segel is set to play the lead who reunites the Muppets for one last show to save the studio; Adams is his girlfriend, while Jones will play an ABC executive. No word yet what role Galifianakis is eying, but we think he would be a very fun addition to the cast and something a little different from “The Hangover“/”Due Date” roles he’s mostly known for.
James Bobin (“Flight Of The Conchords“) will direct the film that is aiming to hit theaters on December 25, 2011.
Update: News on Galifianakis’ casting began to swirl when Robert Downey Jr. dropped the news that in an interview during press for “Due Date,” revealing Galifianakis was doing to shoot for a couple of days on the film for what is presumably a cameo. EW’s update is directly from Galifianakis’ rep. You watch RDJ make Galifianakis squirm below.
