Killer Henson puppets?

Although Muppet master Jim Henson has passed on, his company is keeping various felt-covered creatures alive. And now killing them, apparently.

The Henson Co. is looking at a script called THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS, a mature mystery thriller set in a world where man and puppets coexist (not quite harmoniously). The noir tale, from writer Todd Berger, goes like this: “When the puppet cast of an ’80s children’s TV show called “The Happytime Gang” begins to get murdered one by one, a disgraced puppet LAPD detective turned private eye — with a drinking problem, no less — takes on the case.” Sounds sort of great, actually (if a bit like ROGER RABBIT with plush fabric instead of hand-drawn cels).

The Henson Co. last played with more adult fare with THE DARK CRYSTAL, a sequel of which has been in development hell for years. You may also recall that noted puppet fan Jason Segel (who displayed his foam rubber fondness in FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL) plans to bring back the beloved Muppets for a new feature film.