Puppeteer Jim Henson and his creations have left an indelible mark on the world and continue to this day to speak to generations well beyond his all too short a time here. You’d be hard-pressed to find a child of Generation X, Y or Z, who hasn’t been touched deeply by The Muppets or Sesame Street, firm proof that his legacy still continues on to this day thanks to The Jim Henson Company and his surviving children.

Among them, eldest son Brian Henson is priming the release of his much-talk-about upcoming feature THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS. The Dark-Comedy/Mystery is set in a world where humans and puppets co-exist together, although the latter are made to feel inferior. Disgraced ex-cop-turned-investigator puppet Phil Phillips (Bill Barretta) loses his brother and is in hot pursuit of his murderer who next is out to get Cast of popular ’80s TV Series The Happytime Gang and also his ex-flame Jenny (Elizabeth Banks). We’ve got a puppet killer on the loose and we’re about to find out who did it.

The Film, directed by Henson and written by Todd Berger, stars Melissa McCarthy as Connie Edwards, Phil’s ex-partner and also Maya Rudolph as Bubbles, his secretary. Joel McHale stars too as Agent Campbell, a stern FBI agent.

In Toronto for a packed day of promotion which saw him do the rounds on television, radio, print and digital, Henson spoke to us at his hotel about The Happytime Murders and what he finds funny.

(NSFW)

The Happytime Murders is wacky, twisted and out there. What inspires your sense of humour?

Henson: “I like it when it’s unexpected and a little naughty. I like it when it’s naughty and innocent at the same time. For instance, like when we did the sex scene in the Trailer, the idea that we did a graphically-sexual sequence, but then we used Silly String. What makes it really funny is that the puppet ejaculates silly string. So right when you’ve taken the scene too far and the audience is gonna go, ‘No! Don’t get to there. That’s too far!’, you do it with an innocent kinda stupid choice which is what makes it really funny. The same goes with the pornography scene where we reveal an explicit pornographic sequence in this puppet world, but it turns out only to be an octopus milking a cow – which is the most innocent thing!”.

The Film arrives finally after being in the works for 10 years. It has an interesting mix of Hollywood A-List talent and also seasoned professional Puppeteers, tell us about the casting process.

Henson: “It took ten years, but to get it produced, six years. There were different approaches how to cast and write it. In the end we casted around Melissa for our human Cast.  Half the core Cast is puppets, half is human. Once we had Melissa in, it was figuring out the rest of the Cast. Most of them are working opposite puppets.  Melissa is working mostly with Bill as are Mya and Elizabeth. Joel, none of us really knew him, but he really wanted to do an audition and he did really good.”.

Much has been said about the Film, including a lawsuit filed by the organization behind Sesame Street, citing their fear of it smearing their reputation. While the case was rejected ultimately, it is important to note that The Happytime Murders sees itself more as a separate entity which honours its Henson heritage. Can you talk to this?

Henson: “This is a new Franchise, it’s neither The Muppets nor Sesame Street. As a Company we’ve always been irreverent, a little bit naughty and this is in that tradition. This is exclusively for adults. I believe that this Film should have no repercussions on The Muppets or Sesame Street.  This is exclusively for adults and the idea is that kids who wanna watch Sesame Street or Muppets, still can. I could’ve done it PG, but then it would’ve been a little uncomfortable if a younger audience was seeing it. Instead, it’s a hard R-rating.”.

Who do you identify with more, people or puppets?

Henson: “People I identify with more. Once I put them in a movie, sometimes I feel that a puppet can more sincerely be itself than a person because a person is usually an actor and they have begun making new choices and developing themselves a little different from their last movie. For me in real life, puppets was what my dad did at work. It wasn’t what happened at home, it was work. It was an art form I appreciated greatly and I’d go to the workshops and studios where it was happening. For me, puppets are less alive than they are for other people because I’ve always been behind the scenes.”.

Sugar is a drug-like vice for the puppets (namely unforgettable male prostitute puppet Goofer) in this Film, what is your vice?

Henson: “Nicotine. I find myself chewing Nicotine Gum all the time. I try to fight my vices.”.

The Film looks a remarkably technical feat. What was your greatest challenge?

Henson: “Definitely the technical process of mixing people and puppets together in one scene. Floors needed to be taken out underneath the puppets, although I’m pretty experienced at that.  I have this Improv Puppetry Show called PUPPET UP! which largely is why I made this Movie. It’s a very R-rated live show which I’m loving, and I wanted to do the Movie in this vein.  Normally with puppets, every line is worked out in advance and we don’t improvise – it’s planned carefully, whereas here, I wanted to take Melissa, Mya, Elizabeth and Joel and do some improvising. For me, the most challenging thing was incorporating Improvisational Comedy into this.”.

What’s next?

Henson: “I’m always developing lots of different things and not sure which is gonna be next. The Company is making a Prequel to The Dark Crystal, a ten-part Series with Netflix. It’s gorgeous and almost done after nine months of shooting.”.

Loved chatting with #BrianHenson, son of #JimHenson, responsible for our beloved #Muppets and #SesameStreet. His for-adults-only #TheHappytimeMurders is in theatres later this month. He tells me about growing-up a Henson, casting the likes of #MelissaMcCarthy, #ElizabethBanks and #MayaRudolph, plus all about his naughty puppet Comedy. Chat will be up on Blog soo n!

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Aug 13, 2018 at 2:46pm PDT

VVS Films release THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS Friday, August 24, 2018.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/STX Entertainment | Video credit: VVS Films)

Great news! Disney’s live-action MULAN, directed by Niki Caro, officially is in production now between China and New Zealand. Check-out the above new promo photo!

Synopsis:
“Mulan” is the epic adventure of a fearless young woman who masquerades as a man in order to fight Northern Invaders attacking China. The eldest daughter of an honored warrior, Hua Mulan is spirited, determined and quick on her feet. When the Emperor issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army, she steps in to take the place of her ailing father as Hua Jun, becoming one of China’s greatest warriors ever.

Liu Yifei (“The Forbidden Kingdom,” “Once Upon a Time”) was cast as Hua Mulan following a year-long global casting search. Joining her in the film are: Donnie Yen (“Star Wars: Rogue One”); Jason Scott Lee (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny”); Yoson An (“The Meg”); Utkarsh Ambudkar (“Pitch Perfect”); Ron Yuan (“Marco Polo”); Tzi Ma (“Arrival”); Rosalind Chao (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”); Cheng Pei-Pei (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”); Nelson Lee; Chum Ehelepola; with Gong Li (“Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Raise the Red Lantern”) and Jet Li (“Shaolin Temple,” “Lethal Weapon 4”).

Walt Disney Motion Studios Motion Pictures Canada release MULAN Friday, March 27, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Motion Studios Motion Pictures Canada)

Right in time for Halloween comes Netflix’s CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA! Filmed right home in Vancouver, we present you some new stills from the exciting new Series!

Synopsis:
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.

Cast includes: Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Lucy Davis, Ross Lynch, Michelle Gomez, Chance Perdomo, Jaz Sinclair, Richard Coyle, Tati Gabrielle, Adeline Rudolph, Abigail Cowen, Lachlan Watson, Bronson Pinchot and Gavin Leatherwood.

See some new Stills:

Netflix Canada release CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA Friday, October 26, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix Canada)

Shark Action-Thriller THE MEG debuts atop the Box Office this weekend with $40 million from 4,118 theatres for Warner Bros.  Starring Jason Statham, it gets 51% on the Tomatometer and a B+ CinemaScore.

In second with $18.9 million is MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT after two weeks on-top for Paramount Pictures, earning a three week total of $160.8 million domestically.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN is in third this weekend with $12.3 million for Disney, a two week total of $49.9 million.

Debuting in fourth is the Horror SLENDER MAN with $11.8 million from 2,358 theatres for Sony Screen Gems/Sony Pictures. It gets 15% on the Tomatometer.

BLACKKKLANSMAN debuts in fifth with $9.4 million from 1,512 theatres for Focus Features/Universal Pictures. This latest effort from Spike Lee gets 97% on the Tomatometer and an A- CinemaScore.

Rounding-out the Top Ten is ANT-MAN AND THE WASP with $3.9 million for a total of $203 million grossed over six weeks in North America.

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS. Screenings take place:

Toronto WED Sept 19 Scotiabank Theatre Toronto 7:00 pm

Montreal WED Sept 19 Cineplex Forum 7:00 pm

Calgary WED Sept 19 Landmark Shawnessy 7:00 pm

Edmonton WED Sept 19 Cineplex South Edmonton Commons 7:00 pm

Vancouver WED Sept 19 Cineplex International Village 7:30 pm

Synopsis:
In the tradition of Amblin classics where fantastical events occur in the most unexpected places, Jack Black and two-time Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett star in The House with a Clock in Its Walls, from Amblin Entertainment. The magical adventure tells the spine-tingling tale of 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) who goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. But his new town’s sleepy façade jolts to life with a secret world of warlocks and witches when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City there. In the comments, tell us about a surprise you stumbled upon in your house! Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance.

Universal Pictures Canada release THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS Friday, September 21, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

It’s been about four months since Princess’ (A Pic by Mrwill) retirement as a racehorse and she’s settling in nicely into her new surroundings. While her new owner Miss Emily is awaiting the completion of some renovations at her home, including an indoor and outdoor stall for Princess, she’s been recovering from her fractured Sesamoid nicely at a boarding facility out in Caledon.

Cathy, Princess’ former owner and I decided to surprise her this past weekend and before we made our way in, she started nickering as soon as she heard our voices within earshot. We were overjoyed to see her in good spirits, slipping her fave Fuji apple slices and carrots through the bars of her stall.

Miss Maggie who owns the facility, was nice enough to open her stall for us after she finished her breakfast and she almost burst right through, wanting to come out and greet us. We estimate Princess will be on stall rest for about another month, but she’s doing it in style at least in a cute pink cast bandage from Miss Emily.

Princess has been a hit at the farm, which boards among other several gorgeous Paint ponies, with kids coming in throughout the week to receive riding lessons. One sweet girl named Victoria was so kind to write Princess this lovely note:

Aww! We’re glad to see we’re not the only ones who realize how special Princess is!

Miss Emily also reports to us that Princess has taken a liking to these things called Likits, which are like candy and a toy in one, providing her hours of entertainment in flavours like Apple, Banana, Carrot, Cherry, Garlic, Honey & Camomile, Mint, Molasses, Salt and Sport (Electrolyte). What will they think of next?

Great care and love go into Princess’ diet and we can some spot some dapples, a sign of good health, forming on her coat. She certainly has put on a little weight, but she looks fantastic and still v. fit. Surely she can’t wait to go out and show that all off!

Miss Emily although busy with work and eventing, always makes time in her day for our girl, sometimes spending hours just watching her:

And it seems she’s already v. popular with the boys…

Some more Snaps of our morning with Princess, as we her old and new family come together to celebrate her!

Cathy x Princess

Miss Michelle (Miss Emily’s mother) x Princess

Miss Maggie x Princess

Macy Mae x Princess

She always saves a snuggle for me:

We hope to pop by to see her again soon after her new home is ready!  In the meantime, Princess is so proud of her former stablemate Aheadbyacentury who has been killing it in the Canadian Triple Crown thus far with second-place finishes in both the Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes!

In the meantime, follow Princess’ daily adventures on Social Media:

Twitter: @apicbymrwill
Instagram: @apicbymrwill
Facebook: /apicbymrwill

(Photo credit: Emily Fisher/Mr. Will Wong)

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will Wong want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see TIFF ’17 selection to see PAPILLON!

Screenings take place:

TORONTO – August 22 at Varsity at 7pm

VANCOUVER – August 22 at 5th Avenue at 7pm

Synopsis:
Based on the international best-selling autobiographic books “Papillon” and “Banco“, the film follows the epic story of Henri “Papillon” Charrière (Charlie Hunnam), a safecracker from the Parisian underworld who is framed for murder and condemned to life in the notorious penal colony on Devil’s Island. Determined to regain his freedom, Papillon forms an unlikely alliance with a convicted counterfeiter Louis Dega (Rami Malek), who in exchange for protection, agrees to finance Papillon’s escape.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City.

Elevation Pictures release PAPILLION Friday, August 24, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Films We Like x Mr. Will Wong want to give Readers a chance to win a NICO, 1988 Prize Pack with Run-of-Engagement Passes to see the Film and also a copy of the Soundtrack on vinyl.

Synopsis:
Set between Paris, Prague, Nuremberg, Manchester, the Polish countryside and the Roman seaside, Nico, 1988 is a road-movie dedicated to the last years of Christa Päffgen, known by her stage name “Nico”. One of Warhol‘s muses, singer of The Velvet Underground and a woman of legendary beauty, Nico lived a second life after the story known to all, when she began her career as a solo artist. Nico, 1988 is the story of Nico‘s last tours with the band that accompanied her around Europe in the Eighties: years in which the “priestess of darkness”, as she was called, found herself again, shaking off the weight of her beauty and rebuilding the relationship with her only forgotten son. It is the story of a rebirth, of an artist, of a mother, of the woman beyond the icon.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City.

August 24th, 2018
Broadway Theatre (Saskatoon, SK)

August 31st, 2018
Cinema du Parc (Montreal, QC)
Cinema le Clap (Quebec City, QC)

(Photo/video credit: Films We Like)

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will Wong want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see PEPPERMINT!

Synopsis:
Peppermint is an action thriller which tells the story of young mother Riley North (Jennifer Garner) who awakens from a coma after her husband and daughter are killed in a brutal attack on the family. When the system frustratingly shields the murderers from justice, Riley sets out to transform herself from citizen to urban guerilla. Channeling her frustration into personal motivation, she spends years in hiding honing her mind, body and spirit to become an unstoppable force – eluding the underworld, the LAPD and the FBI- as she methodically delivers her personal brand of justice.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City.

Elevation Pictures release PEPPERMINT Friday, September 7, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

More and more are we letting comfort dictate our style and with Fall/Winter around the corner, the possibilities of layering and combining pieces to achieve that effortless look are infinite. Roots launches their #Sweatstyle campaign, connecting confidence with comfort and some of Toronto’s gleaming gems got to celebrate the affair at Roy Thomson Hall tonight.

Ringing-in the occasion was the evening’s musical guest, bülow, one of Canada’s hottest new emerging acts after dominating our airwaves with her breakthrough hit Not a Love Song. The Track has tallied 26+ million streams on Spotify and the fresh-out-of-high school-talent tells us lots of new music is coming up from her.

Check-out some of her stuff below:

We also spotted another Roots ambassador, Toronto’s Langston Francis (second photo down) who was out mingling with Toronto’s social circle.

Some Snaps:

Learn more about #Sweatstyle and how you can make it your own, here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Universal Music Canada)