Fraggle Rock movie: Joseph Gordon-Levitt to star in and produce Jim Henson film

The colourful muppet TV series was a big hit in the Eighties

Joseph Gordon-Levitt will star in and produce the Fraggle Rock movie (Getty Images)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has signed onto the live-action Fraggle Rock movie, raising fans’ hopes that progress is finally being given a boost.

The film adaptation of the popular Eighties puppet series has been in the pipeline for almost a decade but now, it has a big-name actor on board to star and produce.

The late Jim Henson’s hit show followed the adventures of cave-dwelling Muppets known as Fraggles and their run-ins with furry giants (Gorgs) and tiny, green workaholics (Doozers).

“The first screen personas I ever loved were Henson creations, first on Sesame Street and then on Fraggle Rock,” Gordon-Levitt said in a statement.

“Jim Henson’s characters make you laugh and sing, but they’re also layered, surprising and wise. From Oscar the Grouch to Yoda to the Fraggles. I’ve never stopped loving his work, even as a young frisky man and on into adulthood.”

Gordon-Levitt will be collaborating with Lisa Henson, Jim’s daughter, to “do something that Jim would have loved”. A writer and director are yet to be announced.

The 34-year-old will soon be seen playing NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in Oliver Stone’s thriller Snowden, scheduled for US release this Christmas Day.

He next stars in The Walk, based on the story of high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s walk between the World Trade Center towers in the mid-Seventies.