The Muppets are going to Russia. Charles Randolph (Wri: The Big Short) is developing a feature film, Muppets in Moscow. Based on a critically acclaimed memoir, Muppets in Moscow: The Unexpected Crazy True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia, the film will follow how the hit children’s TV show Sesame Street made its way into Post-Soviet Union Russia.
With Randolph attached to the project, we would love to see him take a dark-comedy take on the Muppets that recounts how one of the most silly and popular children’s TV shows made its way into Russia. We would love to see how the production team of Sesame Street had to deal with bombings, political violence, assassinations, and a military takeover of the production office.
Mini Tidbits:
Kino Lorber has locked in North American distribution for The Story of Documentary Film, a 16-part film that looks at the history of nonfiction cinema around the globe. Mark Cousins’ groundbreaking film has been making the festival rounds, earlier this year premiering at Sundance, shortly after at Berlinale, with chapters 6 and 7 most recently playing at Cannes Classics. Dogwoof also sold the film to Madman in Australia, IWonder in Italy, and Filmin in Spain.
Wild Duck Productions (Barcelona-based Distributor) acquires rights to Indian folk horror Bokshi. The film follows a troubled teen who follows a history teacher on a trek to an ancient site called “The Navel”, where strange things start to happen. The film is aiming for a Halloween theatrical release.
French founder of tech company Mirakl, Adrien Nussenbaum, is launching Palatio Films, a new production company making its Cannes debut with WWII title When Night Falls. From actor turned director Daniel Auteuil, the film is the first in a series of history-centered projects a part of Palatio’s upcoming slate.