Well, it was a surprise. MTV caught up with Jason Segel to pry more Muppet movie tidbits from him, and it seems he was happy to oblige. He revealed he's written a cameo for a veteran of The Great Muppet Caper.

"I have a cameo for Charles Grodin in it. It's a really brilliant cameo, I must say. I'm really proud of it." Maybe we will find out if he ever tried Hare Krishna.

As to who else might be making an appearance -- well, just about everyone. "At one point they need all the Muppets they can get." And no, it won't be full of raunchy adult humor found in Segel's Forgetting Sarah Marshall. No Muppets will get high or drop trou. "When I get into Muppet mode I turn into a 12-year-old boy," he protested. "I think them seeing me in those meetings, they had no doubt I would be OK with the tone."

If you still doubt Segel, you really need to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall and witness the glory that is the Dracula musical. It sealed the deal for me. (Has anyone else noticed the TV spots always show him singing the Muppet theme song? Such a savvy marketing team.) I vote for Steve Martin to reprise his role as the cheap champagne hawking waiter. I don't know why, but the expression on his face when they request straws still gets me. Or Michael Caine, because I think he deserves a special Oscar for turning in such a perfect Scrooge alongside rats and frogs. In case Segel is reading, offer up requests of your own.

Despite an excellent review showing on Rotten Tomatoes, some people forgot about Forgetting Sarah Marshall. As Matt Bradshaw notes in his Box Office column, the comedy came in second to The Forbidden Kingdom, bringing in just $17.3 million. Steve Mason says we might be suffering from "Judd Apatow fatigue." Whether that's the case or not, it's a shame.

While I tried to fight off my high expectations for the film to save myself from potential disappointment, I failed. I was ridiculously eager to see the film, so I grabbed my friend and ran to watch it on Friday night. Luckily, I didn't need to quash the anxiety. We both laughed hysterically and loved it. In fact, I enjoyed it more than both Knocked Up and Superbad.

If you don't agree, fair enough, but for those who might be apprehensive about going out to see the comedy, I want to give you a few reasons why you should give it a chance. Head after the jump for 5 reasons to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Oh man -- I watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall again over the weekend (I first saw it at SXSW back in March) and the laughs held up beautifully; it really is a comic treasure, even if it does suffer a bit from the typical Apatow bloat. So this is great news for me: director Nicholas Stoller is reteaming with Judd Apatow for Get Him to the Greek, a comedy starring Sarah Marshall's Jonah Hill and Russell Brand. Hill will play a young insurance adjuster assigned to get a wild rock star (Brand) from London to LA's Greek Theater for a gig. I don't dispense headline exclamation points willy-nilly, so you know I'm excited.

The idea was apparently hatched at a Sarah Marshall table read, where Hill and Brand exhibited a surprising chemistry. They only had a few scenes together in that film, and since I thought Hill's character was generally a weak spot, I spent most of those scenes being mildly annoyed. But I've seen Superbad, so I know that Hill has the funny, and Brand, whom I had never heard of before Sarah Marshall, has some of the movie's biggest laughs. So: more, please.

Stoller will write Get Him to the Greek in addition to getting back in the director's chair. He has some other projects in the works, including Five Year Engagement, which he will direct and co-write with Jason Segel. He's also working with Segel on his planned Muppet movie. And he co-wrote the screenplay for Jim Carrey's Yes Man, due in December. Busy guy; lucky, too.

Most conversations about Forgetting Sarah Marshall -- the new Judd Apatow-produced comedy about a devastating breakup -- are going to start with the penis shot. Sure, there have been willies in the movies before -- hell, there have been dongs in Apatow productions before (see Walk Hard). But a johnson this prominently featured, and in a mainstream romantic comedy? It breaks new ground. And not only is it funny, it's the perfect visual representation of what a guy goes through when he gets dumped. The film's star, Jason Segel, is stripped bare literally and figuratively -- exposed, embarrassed, emasculated. It's a comedy moment for the history books. I just wish I could say the rest of the film is as bold, as brave, as ... ballsy as that penis.

Oh, don't get me wrong. Sarah Marshall is a very funny movie. But its faults -- its sagginess, its tendency to let improvisation roll past the point of laughter, its relationships that often don't ring true -- are what separate this Judd Apatow production from a Judd Apatow film.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall finds Jason Segel vacationing in Hawaii to forget the girl (Kristen Bell) who just dumped him. Alas, she's at the same resort with her new beau! It's the latest comedy from the Apatow camp, and it hits theaters this weekend. Cinematical spoke one-on-one with the film's director, Nicholas Stoller, regarding the movie, his upcoming Muppet project, and how much onscreen penis is too much onscreen penis.

Cinematical: Is it intimidating for you knowing that every movie associated with Apatow these days is such a comedy event? Does that put pressure on you as the director to live up to that standard?

Nicholas Stoller: Not really, I'm still excited I got to make a movie, so I'm not really thinking in terms of if it's going to be a big event. Our movie was cheap so we don't have to make up that much money. It amuses me, and I hope that it amuses more people.

Cinematical: It amused me, so there's one extra person anyway.

NS: We have you and me and we just need 30 million more Americans.

If Jason Segel was a character on Heroes, what would his super power be? And speaking of super powers, which comic book character would Kristen Bell take on without even reading a script? You can get the answers to these questions, as well as watch Segel talk, at length, about his good friend Mr. Johnson, over at Moviefone -- where they've unveiled the latest installment in their very funny (and thought-provoking) Unscripted series, featuring the two stars of Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Above, you'll be able to see a special super secret exclusive clip from their chat that's NOT featured in the actual Unscripted session. Oh yes, that means you can only watch it right here ... on Cinematical. Aren't you glad you stopped in today? So listen to Kristen Bell mock Jesus Christ's comedic skills above, then head on over to Moviefone to see their entire chat. Remember, Segel and Bell are answering questions you left for them right here on this very blog, as well as mixing in some of their own. If you thought you knew everything about gratuitous male nudity on the big screen ... you have no idea.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall. April 18. Go!

One of my favorite bloggers, Jim Emerson, gives Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeff Wells a virtual bitchslap for a recent post Wells made on his favorite topic: how he doesn't believe guys who look "normal" (i.e., to him, fat and ugly) really score with beautiful women. In a post last month titled "Eclipse of the Hunk," Wells starts off by talking about the opening of the Judd Apatow-produced Forgetting Sarah Marshall, then goes on to mourn the loss of sexy, buff leading men and the success of Judd Apatow's films, in which dorky guys like Seth Rogen and Jason Segel get the hot chicks. Emerson excerpts my favorite quote from Wells piece:

"Taking their place are guys who look like real guys, which means almost never slender or buffed, and frequently chunky, overweight or obese. And usually with roundish faces with half-hearted beard growth, hair on their backs, man-boobs with tit hairs, blemishes, and always horribly dressed -- open-collared plaid dress shirts, low-thread-count T-shirts with lame-ass slogans or promotions on the chest, long shorts and sandals (or flip-flops), monkey feet, unpedicured toenails."

Everyone wants to know about this movie -- and thankfully, Jason Segel is willing to tell all about it. On the heels of the latest plot hints from ComingSoon and CHUD, Segel spoke to Empire and revealed that he's planning to scatter the Muppets across the globe.

"It's a classic story," he told Empire. "It's the Muppets needing to get back together to save the show...It's going to take place all over the world. Basically, the Muppets are no longer together. So that might take a while to film. I guess they've set the precedent in that last movie (Muppets From Space) that Gonzo is, in fact, an alien, so he could well end up in space. That guy's all over the place!"

He also works incredibly fast -- the script, which is being co-written with Nick Stoller, is halfway finished. (Which says we probably will see it before Five Year Engagement.)

The news that Jason Segel and Nick Stoller, the duo behind the upcoming Forgetting Sarah Marshall, were pairing up for a Muppet movie was pretty exciting. Longtime fans of the Muppets have been hoping this would be a return to the truly funny Muppets of the 70's and 80's, and not the watered down version of Muppet Treasure Island.

But if you're wondering if the Muppets would begin to resemble Seth Rogen's roommates in Knocked Up (of which Segel was one), you would be very wrong indeed.

ComingSoon.net asked Segel about getting to work with the Muppets, and he responded with what can only be called ecstasy: "It's hilarious, fantastic, heart-wrenching, beautiful, nostalgic and remarkable." Asked if he was a big fan of the show (why do they think he told the Muppets he wanted to do a movie?), he continued to enthuse. "I just remember being 10 years old and for me Kermit was Tom Hanks. Kermit is like the original every man and I remember watching the old Muppet with my parents and seeing Peter Sellers and people like that on. I've always had Muppet pictures and figurines all through my house. Now that I'm getting to write it, I feel like all if my dreams are coming true."

Segel couldn't say whether he would be appearing in the film as himself or as a Muppet. "We'll see what they come up with."

Forget Sarah Marshall, hello Miss Piggy!

According to Variety, Jason Segel and Nick Stoller, the writer-director duo behind the upcoming Forgetting Sarah Marshall, have just inked a deal with Disney to create a new Muppet film. They'll collaborate on the script, and Stoller will direct.

Apparently, this partnership with Disney came about entirely due to Marshall. In the film, Segel's character writes a Dracula musical performed by puppets. The puppets were custom made by the Henson geniuses. Segel took the chance to pitch a concept to the Muppets, and the rest will be history.

I think this is fantastic news. It's been far too long since we had a Muppet movie, which is quite sad when I remember what childhood staples they were. And remember how adult and edgy they were in their heyday? If anyone can bring that back to the Muppets, it is Segel and Stoller. It will be really interesting to see what they might get away with -- and what cameos will pop up in the movie. I hope this brings in a Muppet Renaissance!

It may be March, and the box office may be ruled by the likes of 10,000 B.C., but cheer up -- there's a new Judd Apatow joint just around the corner. Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which opens April 18, stars Jason Segel (who also wrote the screenplay) as the now-familiar likable schmoe who worships his hot, TV-star girlfriend (Kristen Bell), gets dumped by said hot, TV-star girlfriend, then heads to a Hawaiian resort to get over said hot etc. girlfriend -- except, d'oh, she's staying at that same resort with her new rock-star man-toy.

(Note: Those of you who don't watch TV can just skip the following paragraph.)

Segel and Bell certainly know what it's like to be TV stars. Segel's best known these days as Marshall Eriksen, the goofy, Barney-slapping lawyer on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother -- though to some of us, he'll always be Nick Andopolis from Apatow's late, lamented Freaks and Geeks (I still can't hear Styx's "Lady" without thinking of him). Similarly: Kristen Bell = either Elle Bishop, the psychotic human electrical current on last season's Heroes, or crack teen P.I. Veronica on the late, lamented Veronica Mars.

Anyhoo, Segel and Bell have both signed on to interview each other for Moviefone's Unscripted series to promote Sarah Marshall, and we're hitting y'all up for questions -- about the movie, their respective TV shows, the hardships of filming in Hawaii, or anything else your heart desires. They're taping this Saturday, March 15, so please submit your question in the comments area below by Friday, and be sure to include your first name and the city and state where you live. Then check back here on April 14 to see if your question made the cut. Good luck ... and may the Apatow be with you.

A few days ago I enjoyed a very conventional comedy called Run Fatboy Run. The film succeeds (to a B-minus degree, anyway) thanks almost exclusively to the contributions of actors like Simon Pegg, Dylan Moran, and Hank Azaria. When you have talented people lugging familiar material around, the result can sometimes be unexpectedly amusing. Such is most definitely the case with Nick Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a semi-romantic comedy that covers some of the same ground as The Break-Up and The Heartbreak Kid but does one thing differently: It delivers a lot of laughs.

Produced by the recently very prolific Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad), Forgetting Sarah Marshall stars one of the producer's regulars (Jason Segel, who also penned the screenplay) as a TV music composer who is madly in love with his "hot actress" girlfriend. (Her name is Sarah Marshall, obviously.) But when Sarah dumps Peter for a preening British rock star, the sensitive slob of a guy goes into an emotional tailspin. At the advice of his well-meaning stepbrother, Peter decides to take a solo trip down to Hawaii. And ... you guessed it: Sarah and new posh new boyfriend Aldous are already vacationing there! Ack, how comically uncomfortable!

Poor guy. The marketing campaign for Forgetting Sarah Marshall has officially hit the net, and it involves a website, a video and a new teaser poster. The film's main character, Peter Bretter (Jason Segel), has started a blog dedicated to how much he truly loves his girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). All of his blog posts gush over the gal, and his latest includes a video (which we've provided after the jump) featuring Peter talking to his beautiful girlfriend, telling her how he always knew they'd be together forever.

Ah, but now a new teaser poser has hit the net, with a website that reads IHateSarahMarshall.com (instead of the current address, ILoveSarahMarshall.com), and so I imagine this entire marketing campaign will take a new -- dare I say ugly -- turn as Peter deals with the fact that his gal has broken his heart and ditched him for some other dude. Forgetting Sarah Marshall will premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival this week, and you bet your ass we'll be giving you an early review of the latest flick to carry the Judd Apatow name. Forgetting Sarah Marshall officially hits theaters on April 18.

[via JoBlo]

Access Hollywood premiered the first trailer for the next Judd Apatow-produced comedy, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and while it doesn't quite look like an Apatow film right now (with the exception of his regulars all showing up), remember that this is the made-for-TV trailer that probably can't include the film's greatest bits. This time Jason Segel (who wrote the script) is in the lead, and he plays a guy who's having one heckuva hard time forgetting his ex-girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). When he's advised to take a trip to Hawaii to help mend his open wounds, he accidentally winds up staying at the same hotel as Sarah and her new wacked-out celebrity boyfriend.

Based on the trailer, it looks to be Apatow's most cookie-cutter of all his films, but like I said before, they'll come out with a red-band trailer and this will look like a completely different movie. Regardless, you still have performances from the reliable Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, Bill Hader and adorable Mila Kunis -- not to mention the flick is directed by Nicholas Stoller (Undeclared) -- so hopes are still pretty high. Forgetting Sarah Marshall arrives in theaters on May 30, and you can watch the trailer above. Let us know what you think.

It really is a testament to the writing talents of Judd Apatow that he could take such a simplistically "sitcommy" concept like "slacker slob unexpectedly impregnates an upwardly-mobile young hottie" and turn it into such a warm, witty and frequently drop-dead hilarious motion picture. Clocking in at well over two glorious hours in length, Knocked Up is yet another brilliant little winner from the man who brought you The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared -- thereby proving that network television's loss is cinema's massive gain.

Seth Rogen, generally known as a scene-stealing "support" performer, delivers a star-making turn as Ben Stone, a pot-smokin' web designer who shares a house with four over-baked buddies. But when a chance encounter with a girl way out of his league turns into a night of drunken sex, Ben discovers that he's about to be a daddy -- and to say that the guy's unprepared for the responsibility would be a stunning example of understatement. As the beautiful Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) grows ever rounder, moodier and more hormonal, Ben turns from a funny-yet-irresponsible pothead into a very funny-yet-slightly more responsible pothead. Meanwhile, Alison's sister and brother-in-law struggle with their own marriage and Ben's buddies struggle with the idea that one of their crew has grown up.