‘Sesame Street’ Creators Sue Company Behind Melissa McCarthy's Movie

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Melissa McCarthy’s New Film Sparks Lawsuit From Sesame Street Creators

The creators of Sesame Street are suing the production company behind a new Melissa McCarthy comedy, that features “ejaculating puppets” which resemble the children’s show’s beloved characters, according to court docs.

Sesame Workshop filed the suit claiming that the producers behind The Happytime Murders are making a “deliberate attempt” to appropriate their brand in order to promote their film. The lawsuit reads: “Defendants’ widely-distributed marketing campaign features a just-released trailer with explicit, profane, drug-using, misogynistic, violent, copulating, and even ejaculating puppets, along with the tagline ‘NO SESAME. ALL STREET.”

The comedy is set to be released in August, and is a murder mystery that revolves around puppets who exhibit raunchy, adult behavior. Sesame Workshop is alleging that the misuse of its brand infringes on its “intellectual property rights.”

The company is imploring the movie to drop the “NO SESAME” slogan from their ads while seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

A spokesman for the movie production company, STX, released a statement that proved the film is standing it’s ground. “STX loved the idea of working closely with Brian Henson and the Jim Henson Company to tell the untold story of the active lives of Henson puppets when they’re not performing in front of children,” read a statement attributed to a puppet character named Fred, Esq.

It went on to say, “While we’re disappointed that Sesame Street does not share in the fun, we are confident in our legal position. We look forward to introducing adult moviegoers to our adorably unapologetic characters this summer.”