NEW YORK — Attention producers: Watch out for the “Sesame Street” gang.
Creators of “Sesame Street” are suing the production company behind “The Happytime Murders,” claiming the mainstream comedy that features ejaculating puppets and other sexual puppetry routines is appropriating its brand.
Sesame Workshop, creators of the kids show that owns the rights to “Sesame Street,” alleges that the misuse of its brand is intent on confusing the public and infringes on it intellectual property rights.
“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 lawsuit said.
“The threat of irreparable injury posed to Sesame’s mark and brand cannot be overstated.”
“The Happytime Murders,” set for an August, is a murder mystery revolving around puppets who exhibit raunchy behavior.
Sesame Workshop is seeking that the movie being produced by STX to drop the “NO SESAME” slogan from their ads while seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorneys’ fees.
A spokesman for the movie production company, STX, told Variety that he expressed no regret for the film.
“While we’re disappointed that Sesame Street does not share in the fun, we are confident in our legal position,” the STX spokesman said. “We look forward to introducing adult moviegoers to our adorably unapologetic characters this summer.”
Check out “The Happytime Murders” trailer here.
