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Screen Novelties' Monster Safari to Become a Feature Film

by Alex Billington
June 5, 2009

I hope this is a sign that the Jim Henson Company is coming back in a big way. The Screen Novelties short film Monster Safari is being adapted into a feature stop-motion project for the Jim Henson Co. Craig Zobel and Matt Chapman, who started the site Homestar Runner, will be working with three directors from Screen Novelties, Mark Caballero, Chris Finnegan and Seamus Walsh, to create the feature version of Monster Safari. The story revolves around what happens when the Earth's monsters come out of hiding and a pair of bumbling crypto-zoologists spring into action to save them from a ruthless big-game hunter.

"What's great about Screen Novelties is their look and feel is very Henson-esque," Henson Co exec Jason Lust said. "There was a stylistic similarity." It's great to see them break out like this, especially at a place like the Jim Henson Co. "They have a wry, witty sense of humor that fits perfectly with the Henson and the Screen Novelties approach to comedy." The short isn't available online (as far as we know), but you can check out the Screen Novelties website to see a demo reel and more. I was actually sold on this story by that photo of the yeti from Monster Safari at the top and I can't wait to see this come to life on the big screen.

While the Jim Henson Company is still operating, they haven't had their own full feature in a few years. We already know that Jason Segel and Nick Stoller are planning to bring the Muppets back and that there is another puppet movie called The Happytime Murders in the works as well. With Monster Safari, it sounds like they're definitely coming back in a big way and I'm excited for their return. We'll keep you updated!

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