Jason Segel - Jason Segel Embraces Old Fashioned Comedy In 'The Five Year Engagement'

Jason Segel Embraces Old Fashioned Comedy In 'The Five Year Engagement'

Jason Segel embraced old fashioned comedy when writing 'The Five Year Engagement'.

The 'How I Met Your Mother' and comic writer says he went Back to Basics with the screenplay he wrote for the romantic comedy - in which he stars opposite Emily Blunt - and aimed to capture the ''tone of life'' rather than be laugh-a-minute.

Jason told Denofgeek.com: ''We wanted to harken back to the old, good romantic comedies. The 'Annie Halls', that were allowed to be said. 'When Harry Met Sally', things like that.

''Where the focus wasn't a laugh a minute, the focus was telling a story that was the tone of life. Funny, and sad, and sweet, all at the same time.''

The 32-year-old star - who also wrote and starred in 2008's hit film 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' - has revealed he won't be involved in 'The Muppets' movie sequel, despite championing the 2011 film.

Jason insisted: ''At all. I need a puppet break. It was seven years, from beginning to end, and it was not an easy process.

''It was tricky to convince them to make the movie, it was tricky to get a tone that everyone could agree on, it was tricky to convince the old guard that I was doing this as a genuine love letter to 'The Muppets.'''

Jason, who wrote the blockbuster's screenplay, claims he is happy to wash his hands of the franchise for the moment, but wouldn't rule out a 'Muppets 3' return.

He explained: ''You know, I just need a minute to figure out how I feel about that whole dynamic. I feel really proud about what happened. We won the first Muppet Oscar. Let's see how they stand on their own two feet.

''That was my goal. To set it so that they could do whatever it is that they wanted to do. And so I'm happy to hand that torch back over.''