Tina Fey in talks to join Disney's 'Muppets' sequel

The Hollywood Reporter

Days before she co-hosts the Golden Globes, Tina Fey is in late-stage negotiations to star as the female lead in Disney's sequel to "The Muppets," sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

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Fey would join Ricky Gervais as the human stars of the movie, which sees the felt-and-fur-lined puppets engaged in a European-set adventure. "Modern Family" star Ty Burrell also has a leading role.

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The script is being kept secret, but the character descriptions point to a caper. Burrell, as first revealed by THR, is playing a lazy Interpol inspector.

If a deal is finalized, sources say Fey would play a Russian gulag prison guard.

James Bobin, who directed 2011's "The Muppets," is back as helmer and co-wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller.

David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, who produced "Muppets," also are back to produce the sequel, which will shoot in London this month.

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Fey's most recent feature role was 2010's "Date Night." She next will co-star opposite Paul Rudd in "Admission," a comedy set for release in March. Fey worked with Gervais in 2009's "The Invention of Lying," which Gervais starred in and co-wrote and co-directed.

The Emmy-winning star and creator of NBC's "30 Rock," who is stepping into Gervais' shoes as co-host with Amy Poehler of the Globes on Sunday, is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.