If the runaway success of 1996's Michael Jordan/Looney Tunes collab “Space Jam” mirrored Jason Segel's solid revitalization of the Muppets in 2011, then the franchise's follow-up installment, “Looney Tunes: Back In Action,” found its spiritual partner firmly in “Muppets in Space.” While featuring enjoyable moments and performances from leads Brendan Fraser and Jenna Elfman, the film nonetheless disappointed on both critical and financial fronts. But now it appears the classic characters are getting another shot as a well-known comedy writer/performer has decided to take the reins.
THR reports former “SNL” cast member Jenny Slate has been hired to write the latest Looney Tunes reboot, one which once again utilizes the live-action/CGI hybrid from both “Space Jam” and 'Back in Action.' A director has yet to be announced, but both David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith — the latter of which hasn't had the best of luck this past year penning both “Dark Shadows” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” — will produce the flick.
Slate initially seems a slightly unexpected choice for the job, but upon closer inspection at her voice work involvement in both “The Lorax” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked,” it makes sense that she'd want to take over the writing duties for a younger-skewed franchise film. Details for her story's direction are under wraps for now, but time will tell whether the film will have the staying power that “The Muppets” obtained so enormously under Segel's management.
