Chance the Rapper in Talks to Join Cast of ‘Sesame Street’ Movie

Chance the Rapper is in negotiations to join the cast of the Warner Bros. live-action “Sesame Street” movie starring Anne Hathaway, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Chance would play an aide to the mayor in the children’s film from “Portlandia” co-creator Jonathan Krisel. Warner Bros. has the film slated for a Jan. 15, 2021, release.

Chris Galletta wrote the most recent draft of the screenplay that will mash up stars, songs and the iconic Muppet characters from the long-running show. It follows the residents of Sesame Street as they find themselves expelled from their own neighborhood, forcing them to work together with a history show host (Hathaway) to prove that their street really does exist. Comedian and “Eighth Grade” director Bo Burnham will also contribute some original songs to the project.

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Shawn Levy is producing with Michael Aguilar. Levy has been developing the project since 2012 when 20th Century Fox held the rights. Jesse Ehrman is overseeing for Warner Bros. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind the longstanding children’s program, will be involved with the development of the project.

The original “Sesame Street” series debuted in 1969 featuring some of Jim Henson’s classic characters like Big Bird, Elmo, Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch.

Chance previously appeared on an episode of “Sesame Street” back in 2019 alongside Cookie Monster for a segment called “T is for Theater.” He made his feature acting debut in the A24 film “The Slice,” and he’s also twice hosted “Saturday Night Live.” Chance has also appeared in “Between Two Ferns: The Movie” and on “Ballers” and “The Chi.”

“Sesame Street” recently got picked up for five new seasons on HBO Max and even greenlit four spinoff shows featuring the adorable muppets, including one that features Elmo with his own kids talk show.

Collider first reported the casting news.

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