New “Sesame Street” Film in the Works

Big Bird, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch et al will soon be ready for their respective close-ups, as the iconic Sesame Street, will hit the big screen for a third time. 20th Century Fox acquired the film rights to the 43-year-old children’s program, and has hired, Joey Mazzarino, a long-time Sesame Street scribe, to write the script. Likewise, Shawn Levy (who most recently directed and produced 2011’s Reel Steel) is one of the producers.

This will be Sesame Street’s third turn at the big screen, with 1985’s Follow That Bird starring Chevy Chase and John Candy, and The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland in 1999.

Debuting in 1969, Sesame Street was created by television producer, Joan Ganz Cooney and Carnegie Foundation vice president, Lloyd Morrisett. Jim Henson was hired on to provide puppeteering. By 2008, it was estimated that 77 million Americans had watched the show at some point in their childhood. Presently, it is broadcast in more than 150 countries.

Levy produced the forthcoming, The Watch, starring Jonah Hill, Ben Stiller, and Vince Vaughn. The script was penned by writing duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The Watch is slated for release on July 27th.