Melissa McCarthy to Star in Puppet Comedy 'Happytime Murders'

By Dave McNary, Variety

Melissa McCarthy has come on board STX’s dark comedy The Happytime Murders, directed by Brian Henson.

The comedy is set in the underbelly of Los Angeles where puppets and humans coexist. Two clashing detectives, one human and one puppet, are forced to work together to try and solve who is brutally murdering the former cast of The Happytime Gang, a beloved classic puppet show.

“When a really good script combines puppet strippers, Los Angeles’ underbelly, and comedy, it’s like my fever dream has finally come true,” McCarthy said in a press release.

The film is set to begin production this August and will be produced by The Jim Henson Company’s Henson Alternative banner, On the Day Productions, and STXfilms. Producers are Brian Henson, Jeffrey Hayes, McCarthy, and Ben Falcone. Lisa Henson and John W. Hyde will executive produce.

The story is by Todd Berger & Dee Robertson; while the screenplay is written by Berger with revisions by Erich & Jon Hoeber and further revisions by McCarthy.

McCarthy will next by seen in Life of the Party, which was written by McCarthy and spouse Falcone and directed by Falcone, and Can You Ever Forgive Me? for director Marielle Heller.

McCarthy’s other starring roles include Spy, Ghostbusters, St. Vincent, Identity Thief, Tammy, The Heat, and The Boss.