The Bert & Ernie Movie

The Bert & Ernie Movie is a 2022 buddy cop mystery comedy film directed by Shannon Flynn in her feature film debut. and is the third feature film based on the popular children's television series Sesame Street, after 1985's Follow that Bird and 1999's The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. The movie stars the Muppet characters from Sesame Street, as well as Jonathan Groff, Tilda Swinton, and James Marsters as the villain.
Bert and Ernie receive a mysterious phone call from the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (Groff) telling them to "come quick". It turns out that a long string of murders has taken place throughout the city, and the department's most skilled officers have been either killed or missing in action. The Muppet duo, in spite of their protests that they have no job experience, teams up with street-smart detective Melissa Stokes, AKA Mel (Swinton), in a quest to find the killer, knowing that they may never leave L.A. alive. The killer in question is Sid Ponzi, a serial killer whose plan is to murder everyone he feels contributed to his impoverished childhood (growing up in Los Angeles, Sid's family never had enough money to afford a home, food, or healthcare, and the media turned a blind eye to people like him in favor of shining the spotlight on the lifestyles of the rich and powerful), and eventually, using television and social media to rile up like-minded individuals and anti-government groups into doing the dirty work for him. Along the way, Ernie and Bert discover the horrible truth about California's justice system...
Meanwhile, the other Sesame Street residents, discovering Ernie and Bert's exodus to L.A. on the news, make plans to go there and bring them home safely. Once they discover why they're in L.A. to begin with, their plan becomes to help them save the day, with a little help from an old friend, and many of his own wacky pals...
Throughout the story, it is revealed that the film is a pitch made by Ernie to the Warner Bros. board of directors (comprised of Looney Tunes characters), all of whom find the story hard to either keep up with or understand. At the end, the Tunes turn down Ernie's pitch, claiming that a film like that would lose them money.
Produced by Sesame Workshop and Castle Rock Entertainment, the film was released by Warner Bros. Pictures on January 14, 2022. Like its two predecessors, the film received positive critical reviews, but was a box office bomb, earning $21 million against a $15 million budget. The film is dedicated to Caroll Spinney, the longtime puppeteer and voice of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, who passed away in December 2019. The film was also the first Sesame Street production to receive a PG rating, as it includes scenes that may be too scary for children. The Muppets (i.e. Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy) appear in the film with permission from The Walt Disney Company.
Principal photography occurred between late March and early July 2021 on location in Los Angeles, with scenes featuring the Sesame Street set filmed in New York City.
==Cast==
Eric Jacobson as Bert, Grover, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Oscar, Sam Eagle, Two-Headed Monster, The Newsman
Peter Linz as Ernie, Walter, Statler, Robin, Herry, Link Hogthrob, Lips
Tilda Swinton as Mel
James Marsters as Sid Ponzi
Jonathan Groff as Goodman
Viola Davis as Mayor Mulberry
Jensen Ackles as Ted
Ving Rhames as Bain
Sean Bean as Enron
Matt Vogel as Kermit the Frog, Big Bird, The Count, Floyd Pepper, Uncle Deadly, Lew Zealand, Sweetums, Mr. Johnson, Camilla, Crazy Harry
Kevin Clash as Elmo
David Rudman as Cookie Monster, Scooter, Janice, Baby Bear, Beaker, Two-Headed Monster
Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Waldorf, Beauregard (voices only)
Bill Barretta as Rowlf, Pepe the Prawn, Dr. Teeth, The Swedish Chef, Bobo, Elmo's Dad
Martin P. Robinson as Telly, Mr. Snuffleupagus
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby
Jennifer Barnhart as Zoe
Carmen Osbahr as Rosita
Ryan Dillon as Trevor Monster (voice only)
Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Prairie Dawn, Little Bird
Warrick Brownlow-Pike as Gonger (voice only)
Frankie Cordero as Rudy
Stacey Gordon as Julia
Violet Tinnirello as Charlie
William Atherton as Bartender
Charles Hubbell as Lead Protester
Joey Calvan as Woman in Bar
Tyler James Williams as Man in Bar
John Williams III as Captain John-John
Tyrel Jackson Williams as Pink's Hot Dogs Customer
Joe Sabatino as Thug in Bar
Chris Knowings as Chris
Suki Lopez as Nina
Alan Muraoka as Alan
Eric Bauza as Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Marvin the Martian, Speedy Gonzales
Jeff Bergman as Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepe Le Pew
Fred Tatasciore as Yosemite Sam, Tasmanian Devil
Bob Bergen as Porky Pig
Additional L.A. Muppet Performers: Karen Prell, Brian Henson, Louise Gold, John Tartaglia, Alice Dinnean, Julianne Buescher, Bruce Lanoil, Tim Lagasse, Colleen Smith, Brad Abrell, Catherine Adell, Christian Anderson, Joe Annabi, Rachel Appelbaum, Steve Axtell, Grant Baciocco, Greg Ballora, Kristy Baltezore, David Barclay, Tim Barnes, Erwin Jake Bayan, Nate Begle, Sarah Berman, Carol Binion, Ronald Binion, Tim Blaney, Darren Bluestone, Phoebe Bottoms, Jordan Brownlee, Kevin Carlson, Raymond Carr, Kristin Charney, Brian Clark, Anita Coulter, Nathan Danforth, Dorien Davies, Marsian DeLellis, Steven Dirckze, Amie Enriquez, Artie Esposito, Peggy Etra, Mary Faber, Molly Fite, Genevieve Flati, Thom Fountain, Lexy Fridell, Aymee Garcia, Dan Garza, Chris Guerra, BJ Guyer, Josh Han, Terri Hardin, Langston Hatch, Andy Hayward, Rachel Herrick, Gwen Hollander-Schrader, Alissa Hunnicutt, Morgana Ignis, John Jennings, Jan Johns, Patrick Johnson, Sean Johnson, Victoria Johnson, Brian Michael Jones, Kelvin Kao, Kate Katz, Chris M. Kauffmann, Jonathan Kidder, Donna Kimball, Andy Rocco Kraft, Erik Kuska, Scott Land, Frank Langley, Adrian Rose Leonard, Len Levitt, Cheryl Lewis, Jayden Libran, Paul Louis Muller, Derek Lux, Amanda Maddock, Stefanie Malouf, Dawnie Marie, Emily Marsh, Drew Massey, Ted Michaels, Danny Montooth, Alison Mork, James Murray, Sarah Sarang Oh, Michael Oosterom, Brett O'Quinn, Christine Papalexis, Chris Patstone, Michael Paul, Janine Pibal, Felix Pire, Mike Quinn, Jared Ramirez, Rachel Redleaf, Amber Reeder-Vega, Steven Ritz-Barr, Emory Royston, Carla Rudy, Paul Rugg, Keith Saltojanes, Nicolette Santino, Stoph Scheer, Benjamin Schrader, Joe Selph, Benjamin Siemon, Michelan Sisti, David Skelly, Jaime Soria, Jeff Speetjens, Kenny Stevenson, David Strassman, Ryne Strom, Brittaney Talbot, Taylor Tofflemire, Allan Trautman, Cheri Lynne VandenHeuvel, Art Vega, Jack Venturo, Alex Villa, Russ Walko, Robin Walsh, Rob Wight, Jonathan C.K. Williams, Rachel Elaine Williams, Mark Bryan Wilson, Chase Woolner, Victor Yerrid, Michelle Zamora (Uncredited: Marky Andrews, Gene Barretta, Jackson Barretta, Patrick Bristow, Rachel Burson, Bryan Forrest, Alex U. Griffin, Sam Koji Hale, Darci Lynne Farmer, Zoe Rose Palladino, Rob Saunders, Norman Tempia, Eric Zaklukiewicz)
Additional N.Y. Muppet Performers: Tyler Bunch, Pam Arciero, Noel MacNeal, Megan Piphus Peace, John Kennedy, Bradley Freeman Jr., Kathleen Kim, Rick Lyon, Paul McGinnis, Bryant Young, Latoryah Alexander, Drew Allison, Packy Anderson, Heather Asch, Connor Asher, Billy Barkhurst, Aretta Baumgartner, Lawrence Basgall, Jake Bazel, Tau Bennett, Evy Berman Wright, Josh Bernaski, Kirk Bixby, David Bizzaro, Marcelo R. Bottaro, Rickey Boyd, Lindsey Z. Briggs, Matthew Brooks, Harrison Bryan, R. Lee Bryan, Lisa Buckley, Melvin Campbell, Andrew A. Cano, Jessica Carleton, Frank Cesario, Weston Chandler Long, Ceili Clemens, John Cody, Jimmica Collins, R. Bruce Connelly, Austin Michael Costello, Elizabeth Cowperthwaite, Melissa Creighton, Carole D'Agostino, Emilie Rose Danno, Emily DeCola, Kristina Dizon, Jamie Donmoyer, James Retter Duncan, Ben Durocher, Jodi Eichelberger, Emmanuel Elpenord, David Matthew Feldman, Hope Fennig, David Fino, Galen Fott, Matthew Furtado, Mark Gale, Cameron Garrity, James Godwin, Sam Jay Gold, Jenny Hann, Elizabeth Hara, Forrest Harding, Zachary Haumesser, Christopher Thomas Hayes, Scott Hitz, Jon Hoche, Patrick Daniel Holmes, Cedwan Hooks, Keri Horn, Jason Jacoby, Haley Jenkins, Avery Lee Jones, Liz Joyce, Laura Kay, James Kemp, Vicki Kenderes-Eibner, Kay Koch, Joe Kovacs, Mary Robinette Kowal, Adam Kreutinger, Jim Kroupa, Matthew Krygier, Michael Latini, Matthew Lavin, Spencer Lott, Jon Ludwig, Kaitlyn Lunardi, Lara MacLean, Rowan Magee, David Manley, Ed May, Cathy McCullough, Tracie Mick-Shoemaker, Kristy Moon, Andrew Moriarty, Jason Murphy, Sarah Nolen, Anney Ozar, Chris Palmieri, Annie Peterle, Marc Petrosino, Jen Ponton, David Quesal, Sebastiano Ricci, Jon Riddleberger, Kiera Robbins, Blake Rushing, Julie Dansby Scarborough, Michael Schupbach, Michael Schwabe, Yinan Shentu, Brandon Smith, G. Scott Spence, Thom Stanley, David Stephens, Andy Stone, Lisa Sturz, Ian Sweetman, Thomas Trinh, Jay Tyson, Michael T. Verdi, Jordi Wallen, Stacey Weingarten, Daniel Weissbrodt, Chad Williams, Noel Williams, Hannah Lauren Wilson, James Wojtal Jr., Eric Wright, Gretchen Wylder (Uncredited: Joey Rudman, Jack Vogel)
==Crew==
Directed by Shannon Flynn
Screenplay by Rob Letterman
Story by Christine Ferraro and Ken Scarborough
Produced by Andrew Scheinmann, Lisa Henson, Kay Wilson Stallings, Benjamin Lehmann, Alex Rockwell
Executive Producers: Rob Reiner, Brian Henson, Joe Dante, Kirk R. Thatcher, Martin G. Baker
Director of Photography: Alan Caso, ASC
Production Designer: Sean Haworth
Edited by Alan E. Baumgarten, ACE
Music by Michael Giacchino
Additional Music by Andy Blythe and Marten Joustra
Music Supervisor: John Debney
==Creature Shop==
Puppet Captain: Kevin Clash
Creative Supervisor: Jason Weber
General Manager: Constance Peterson
Production Crew: Melissa Creighton, Alana De Matteo, Jonathan Ehrich, Brad Elliott, Carolyn Fanelli, Alex "Jurgen" Ferguson, Scott Johnson, Peter MacKennan, Casey Miller, Joseph Roddy, David Skelly, Russ Walko
Muppet Stunt Coordinator: Fred Buchholz
Project Supervisor: Paul Hartis
Muppet Designers and Builders: Paul Andrejco, Heather Asch, Ed Christie, Edward Eyth, Jane Gootnick, Paul Hartis, Michelle Hickey, Rollie Krewson, Jim Kroupa, Peter MacKennan, Lara MacLean, Tom Newby, John Orberg, Anney Ozar, Connie Peterson, Stephen Rotondaro, Polly Smith, Jason Weber, James Wojtal Jr., Robert H. Bennett, Carol Binion, Ronald Binion, David Bizzaro, Cheryl Blaylock, Mary Brehmer, Matthew Brennan, Jamie Bressler, Matthew Brooks, Rachel Burson, Michael Bush, Brian Carson, Ceili Clemens, John Cody, Gretchen Crookes, Carole D'Agostino, Nicolina Dante, Alana De Matteo, Andrea Detwiler, Rosa Douglas, Isabelle Dufour, Ben Durocher, Victoria Ellis, Henri Ewaskio, Alex "Jurgen" Ferguson, Bob Flanagan, Rob Gardner, Joel Gennari, Vanessa Gifford Gillis, Andrea Gilletti, Deborah Glassberg, James Godwin, BJ Guyer, Tyler Hall, Elizabeth Hara, Deborah Hertzberg, Scott Hitz, Joshua Holden, Ann Marie Holdgruen, Cedwan Hooks, J. Douglas James, Scott Johnson, Jean Marie Keevins, James Kemp, Ariella Knight, Joe Kovacs, Janet Kuhl, Sarah Lafferty, Tim Lagasse, Michael Latini, Molly Light, Spencer Lott, Kari Love, Amanda Maddock, Laura Manns, Cathy McCullough, Tom McLaughlin, Leah N. Olbrich, Gabriella Padilla, Anna Paniccia, Marc Petrosino, Jane Pien, Kenneth Rainey, Kate Rusek, Rob Saunders, Sierra Schoening, Michael Schupbach, Jessica Simon, David Skelly, Erin Slattery Black, Keely Snook, Norman Tempia, Whitney Thayne, Mari Tobita, David Parkinson Valentine, Russ Walko, Robin Walsh, Stacey Weingarten, Jean-Guy White, Noel Williams, Julie Zobel (Uncredited: Julianne Buescher, Artie Esposito, Patrick Johnson, Sean Johnson, Adam Kreutinger, Frank Langley, Rick Lyon, Drew Massey, Michael Oosterom, Victor Yerrid)
Muppet Costume Supervisor: Polly Smith
Muppet Costumes: Lisa Bober, Lisa Davis, Vanessa Gifford Gillis, Marian Keating, Muriel Stockdale Grabe, Haley Who
Puppet Wranglers: Heather Asch, Gretchen Crookes, Andrea Detwiler, Rob Gardner, Michelle Hickey, Tim Lagasse, Lara MacLean, Amanda Maddock, Anney Ozar, Rob Saunders, Michael Schupbach, Jessica Simon, Russ Walko, Stacey Weingarten, Julie Zobel
Muppet Special Effects Technicians: Fred Buchholz, Jim Kroupa, Frank Langley, Tom Newby
Muppet Props Masters: Brad Elliott, Susan Pitocchi
==Trivia==
An alternate opening was filmed where Chief Earl "Snarl" Goodman knocks out guards to release Sid Ponzi from prison, an event which headlines the L.A. Times. While it was eventually removed so the film could introduce the Sesame Street characters first, it was repurposed as a major plot point, as Bert and Ernie watch footage of this scene and discover that the chief of the LAPD is actually a sleazy turncoat willing to allow the people he swore to protect to be gunned down in cold blood so he can fatten his pockets with their tax dollars and life savings. This leads the disgusted duo to ask the L.A. police force to stand up to their chief, lest they be seen as complicit in his corruption.
Benjamin Bratt, Josh Brolin, Nicolas Cage, Chris Evans, William Fichtner, William Forsythe, David Harbour, Christopher Lloyd, Al Pacino, and Sam Rockwell all auditioned for the role of the film's villain before James Marsters was cast.
Before Tilda Swinton was cast as Mel, Bryce Dallas Howard, Zoe Kravitz, Kate McKinnon, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alicia Silverstone, Kristen Stewart, Sigourney Weaver, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead all auditioned.
Chief Goodman is played by Jonathan Groff. Jensen Ackles, Paul Dano, Jesse Eisenberg, Santino Fontana, Josh Gad, Toby Kibbell, Jared Leto, and Chris O'Donnell also eyed for the part.
Ryan Dillon was unavailable for much of the film's production, due to him being busy with shooting content for Sesame Street in New York, so one of his characters, Trevor Monster, was puppeteered on-set by Colleen Smith, and Dillon dubbed over his dialogue in post-production (his other main character, Elmo, was performed by his most famous puppeteer, Kevin Clash). Likewise, Dave Goelz's characters were operated by other puppeteers (John Tartaglia as Gonzo, Tyler Bunch as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Tim Lagasse as Zoot, Alice Dinnean as Beauregard, and John Kennedy as Waldorf), with Goelz later dubbing the voices; while Gonger was puppeteered by Bruce Lanoil, with Warrick Brownlow-Pike, who was busy in his native U.K. at the time, dubbing his voice afterwards.
Category:Sesame Street
Category:Warner Bros. Pictures
Category:Castle Rock Entertainment
Category:Sesame Workshop