Muppets Most Wanted: Watch the wonderfully silly trailer

The first trailer for the upcoming sequel to The Muppets introduces a devious Kermit look-alike named Constantine

Muppets
(Image credit: (Yahoo! Movies))

After a long time out of the spotlight, 2011's The Muppets was an exuberant return for the franchise. But was it a one-and-done effort, or can it spawn a whole new series? That's the question behind Muppets Most Wanted, the upcoming sequel that aims to extend the franchise's reach into the modern day — and this first full-length trailer certainly looks like it's on the right track.

Jason Segel, who co-wrote and starred in The Muppets, isn't headlining this second installment. But it's clear that returning director James Bobin is intent on maintaining the momentum from the first movie. Walter, a newly minted Muppet, shows up in a key role, and a love triangle between Miss Piggy, Kermit, and Constantine is also teased.

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Other than those wrinkles, Muppets Most Wanted promises the usual Muppet antics: Colorful characters, wacky sight gags, and "so many Hollywood stars it'll leave you wanting more" — a boast that's immediately undercut by the ever-cynical Statler and Waldorf. It definitely looks like the Muppets franchise remains in form, but we won't know for sure until Muppets Most Wanted hits theaters in March.

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.