This story comes with some good news and some bad news. The good news is that James Bobin, the director who saw his notoriety skyrocket after he directed last year's The Muppets, has found a brand new project to helm. The bad news is that it could mean that we will have to wait a while for The Muppets 2.
Variety is reporting that the British filmmaker, who made a name for himself working on television programs like Flight of the Conchords and Da Ali G Show, is signed on to direct an adaptation of the novel Agent Zigzag. Based on the book by Ben McIntyre, the story follows a man named Eddie Chapman, a criminal-turned-hero who serves his country by operating as a double agent during World War II, infiltrating the German army and reporting back to MI5. The movie is being made by New Line, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., and Playtone Pictures, the production house owned by Tom Hanks (the name comes from Hanks' directorial debut, That Thing Yo Do!). Rowan Joffe, whose previous credits include 28 Weeks Later and The American, has been hired to re-write an existing script.
This, sadly, puts a curtain of uncertainty around the untitled Muppets sequel. While Disney has confirmed that a follow-up to the 2011 hit has been greenlit, but the trade is unsure about "where that film is in development." Should Bobin decide to make Agent Zigzag first it could push Muppets 2 to a later date. We'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.
