'Sesame Street' Sues STX Over New Melissa McCarthy Puppet Movie

Sesame Workshop says the new R-rated film is abusing the famed puppets' sterling reputation in its advertisements.

The makers of Sesame Street are suing the promoter of a new Melissa McCarthy movie, saying it is abusing the famed puppets' sterling reputation to advertise the film.

A judge on Friday scheduled a hearing next week to consider a request for immediate relief by Sesame Workshop, which sued Thursday in federal court for unspecified damages.

The film, The Happytime Murders, is scheduled for release on Aug. 17. McCarthy plays a human detective who teams with a puppet partner to investigate grisly puppet murders.

The lawsuit said the Sesame Street brand will be harmed by a just-released movie trailer featuring "explicit, profane, drug-using, misogynistic, violent, copulating and even ejaculating puppets" along with the tagline "NO SESAME. ALL STREET."

STX Productions LLC says in a statement it is confident in its legal position.