Tina Fey in Talks to Join Disney’s ‘Muppets’ Sequel (Exclusive)

Days before she co-hosts the Golden Globes, Tina Fey is in late-stage negotiations to star as the female lead in Disney’s sequel to The Muppets, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

Fey would join Ricky Gervais as the human stars of the movie, which sees the felt-and-fur-lined puppets engaged in a European-set adventure. Modern Family star Ty Burrell also has a leading role.

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The script is being kept secret, but the character descriptions point to a caper. Burrell, as first revealed by THR, is playing a lazy Interpol inspector.

If a deal is finalized, sources say Fey would play a Russian gulag prison guard.   

James Bobin, who directed 2011’s The Muppets, is back as helmer and co-wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller.

David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, who produced Muppets, also are back to produce the sequel, which will shoot in London this month.

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Fey’s most recent feature role was 2010’s Date Night. She next will co-star opposite Paul Rudd in Admission, a comedy set for release in March. Fey worked with Gervais in 2009’s The Invention of Lying, which Gervais starred in and co-wrote and co-directed.

The Emmy-winning star and creator of NBC’s 30 Rock, who is stepping into Gervais’ shoes as co-host with Amy Poehler of the Globes on Sunday, is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.

Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com

Twitter: @Borys_Kit