Sesame Street is a mainstay of children’s entertainment. The education program started almost a half a century ago. Recently, the property left its home at PBS and moved over to HBO. HBO is owned by Time Warner. This means that Warner Bros. now owns the film rights to any Sesame Street features. It looks like they are going to be taking advantage of that.
The project is still in the developmental stage though we do know a few key players. Screenwriters David Guion and Michael Handelman are handling the script. The most notable film they worked on before this was Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. Shawn Levy is going to be producing the film. Levy recently produced both Stranger Things and the sci-fi drama Arrival. Granted, he’s also produced all of the Night at the Museum films as well as other movies intended for younger audiences.
It’s hard not to get excited at this project. Sesame Street has an enormous cast of characters to utilize. Big Bird and Elmo have both been stars of their own films, but it would be great to see fan favorites like Cookie Monster, Grover, and the Count get their time in the spotlight. Disney made magic happen with The Muppets. If Warner Bros. wants to hook audiences both young and old, that film is a good source of inspiration. The show is also famous for its many celebrity appearances. Landing some big names could be another way to get parents and young adults to come see the film.
Sesame Street is a cornerstone of American pop culture. Frankly, it’s the kind of sweet and silly property that deserves celebration. It will be interesting to see what kind of subjects the film will tackle. Sesame Street has never been afraid to treat kids as intelligent. And a few parodies for the adults would be welcome. Just check out this Game of Thrones parody they did!
We’ll be keeping our eye on this one.
