There were cars & stars at last night’s world premiere of “Muppets Most Wanted” at the El Capitan Theatre

Jim Hill

11 years ago

Yesterday evening, there were thousands of people lined up
along Hollywood Boulevard.

Photo by Alice Hill

Not to mention hundreds more peering down from nearby rooftops.

Photo by Alice Hill

And why were all of these folks staring so intently at the El Capitan Theatre.
Because that's where the world premiere of "Muppets Most Wanted" was
being held last night.

Photo by Alice Hill

And as a long time Muppet fan, I have to say that it was really pretty sweet that
Walt Disney Pictures decided to have Sweetums lead off last night's parade of
celebrities.

Photo by Alice Hill

And after that big, hairy ogre went galumphing by, who came
rolling down the red carpet but Miss Piggy and Kermit.

Photo by Alice Hill

FYI: The 2014 Toyota Highlander was the Muppets' vehicle of
choice last night. Below you can see Rowlf the Dog, Fozzie Bear, the Great
Gonzo, Scooter, Animal and Walter rolling up to the El Cap in a custom
Highlander.

Photo by Alice Hill

Sadly, there were no Toyotas waiting for the human members of the "Muppets
Most Wanted" cast. So Danny Trejo & Tina Fey …

(L to R) Danny Trejo &
Tina Fey work the press line
outside of the El Capitan Theatre.
Photo by Alice
Hill

… and Ricky Gervais had to hoof it to the theater.

Ricky Gervais grabs a selfie with some very
excited Muppet fans. Copyright
Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

And as you might expect, what with this being the world
premiere of a Walt Disney Pictures release and all, there were lots of Disney
Channel & Disney XD stars on hand last night. Talented young people
like Francesca Capaldi from "Dog
with a Blog," Skai Jackson from "Jessie" …

(L to R) Skai Jackson & Francesa Capaldi
talked about who their favorite
Muppets are. Photo by Alice Hill

… and Jake Short from "Mighty Med." Who — in the great Ebert &
Siskel "At the Movies" tradition — was already giving "Muppets
Most Wanted" two big thumbs up.

Photo by Alice Hill

But as it always is at events like this, once the last members of the film's
cast have strolled down the red carpet …

… and the official studio photographers have gotten all of the glamour shots
they need of that night's event …

It's time then for everyone who had tickets to this world
premiere to head on in the El Capitan. Where — after
they walked past all of the "Muppets Most Wanted" props that were on
display out in the lobby …

… who did this star-studded audience discover was up in
the balcony but Statler & Waldorf!

Meanwhile out on Hollywood
Boulevard, as the light began to fade and the huge
crowds of Muppet fans began to slip off into the night …

… teams of workers quickly broke down the special bank vault set that had
been specially built for the "Muppets Most Wanted" premiere …

Photo by Alice Hill

… because — believe it or not — the El Capitan will be hosting another
world premiere less than 36 hours from now. One that has to do with a Marvel
superhero that Sam the Eagle would surely approve of: "Captain America: The Winter
Soldier."

So which of these two soon-to-be-released Walt Disney Pictures production are
you most looking forward to seeing?

Your thoughts?