FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS Co-Creator James Bobin Must Choose Between THE MUPPETS and BRIDESMAIDS – UPDATED

UPDATE: According to Heat Vision, Bobin has chosen to side with the Muppets.  A wise decision.

If you’re going to direct a Muppet movie, you need an eye for absurdist comedy and an ear for silly musical numbers.  Lucky for James Bobin, due to his experience as co-creator of HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, he has both in spades.  Bobin directed more than half of the Conchords episodes, and is now being lured to the big screen for his next project.  According to Vulture, his calling may be the Jason Segel-scripted The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made.

It may be a match made in heaven, but it’s not quite a done deal; find out why after the jump.

Bobin has what you might call a high-class problem.  In addition to the attention he’s getting from Kermit and the gang, he is also wanted for Bridesmaids, a film produced by Judd Apatow and scripted by Kristen Wiig.  The plot (“two women battle to plan their friend’s wedding”) sounds pretty generic, but one would imagine that the Apatow touch could make Bridesmaids raunchier and funnier than the logline indicates.

Though the films are at opposite ends of the cinematic spectrum (family-friendly puppets vs. R-rated romp), both projects sound like winners at this stage.  Segel has been talking since Forgetting Sarah Marshall promotion about his passion for the project.  Particularly after Marshall, which he also scripted, I completely trust these iconic characters in Segel’s enthusiastic hands.  Likewise, Apatow’s productions tend to hit more often than they miss, and Kristen Wiig is one of the most reliable comediennes in the business.  Bridesmaids definitely has a lot of potential based on the talent attached.

I wish only success for anyone attached to the wonder that was Flight of the Conchords, and I really don’t think Bobin can go wrong here.  But I think I’d particularly enjoy seeing a Muppet movie from the man who directed “Love Is a Weapon of Choice”, which you can check out below.  The video, from a second season episode of Conchords, features Wiig as in a guest starring role.