The Muppetsis a valuable IP with instant name recognition and beloved characters. It’s also a property that Disney can’t seem to figure out what to do with. It looked like the property might be on track with the 2011 movieThe Muppets, which grossed a respectable $165 million worldwide off a $45 million budget, but the 2014 sequel,Muppets Most Wantedsank like a stone. This led to a 2016 ABC series done in the style ofThe Office, but it was canceled after one season. So Disney is now going back to the drawing board and hoping it can relaunchThe Muppetslike Gonzo getting shot out of a cannon.
According toTHR, Disney’s upcoming streaming service will have a newMuppetsreboot. There are no details on the series, and the studio is currently searching for a writer that will offer a new take.
From a business perspective, such a reboot makes perfect sense, especially for a streaming service where Disney wants to offer content that fans can’t get anywhere else. If aMuppetsseries gets picked up, it could join TV shows based onMonsters, Inc., a reboot ofHigh School Musical, and an adaptation ofThe Mighty Ducks. That’s not to mention a live-action TV series based onStar Wars.
There’s still no details yet on when the streaming service will launch (it’s rumored it will be available in fall 2019) or how much it will cost, but since Disney has so much content, not to mention what they’ll own with the Fox acquisition underway, their service could be a serious powerhouse.
As forThe Muppets, hopefully they’ll get someone who knows what they’re doing with the property.The Muppetsoperates in a unique, distinctive space, and it can be difficult to seize upon what makes it work (2011’sThe Muppetsisn’t an awful movie, but a recent rewatch shows that the mixture isn’t quite right). Perhaps the third time is the charm for Kermit and the gang.
