Bo Burnham Finds The Way To The 'Sesame Street' Film

Deadline broke the news on Monday that singer, songwriter, stand-up comedian, writer, director, and actor Bo Burnham will be penning new songs for “Sesame Street.” Fresh of his work last year writing and directing the critical darling "Eighth Grade," for which he won an Independent Spirit Award, Burnham has been tapped by Warner Bros. to provide original music for the cinematic adaptation of the classic Muppets children’s show.

Set for release in January 2021, the film follows the felted residents of the famous street as they are kicked out of their neighborhood and onto the streets of Manhattan. Teaming up with a history show host (Anne Hathaway) bent on proving Sesame Street’s existence, the gang tries to save their home from the mysterious schemes of a tricky mayor. Hathaway has described her character as a “Muppet-y human living among Muppets.”

“Sesame Street” will be directed by Jonathan Krisel, co-creator of ("Portlandia") from a script by Mike Rosolio (“American Vandal”) Chris Galleta (“The Kings of Summer”) and Barry Schwartz.

Burnham got his start on YouTube, attracting major attention with his original music, which he parlayed into a successful stand-up career that relies heavily on musical performance. In addition to his work on “Eighth Grade,” Burnham has acted in films such as “Funny People” and “The Big Sick.” He has also provided the script for a teen comedy set up at Paramount and will next appear opposite Carey Mulligan in the thriller “Promising Young Woman.”

“Sesame Street” premiered on PBS in 1969 and has been teaching generations of young viewers a wide range of educational topics ever since. Its beloved Muppet cast includes Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, and the ubiquitous Elmo. In 2016, the show began premiering its new seasons on premium channel HBO, ahead of their traditional release on public television.

Warner Bros. will release “Sesame Street” nationwide on Jan. 15, 2021.