Anyone who has listened to our Geektown Radio podcast knows how much we love the Muppets (as should everyone who has a soul…). Disney has tried multiple times to revamp and modernise our beloved felt friends with shows like Muppets Tonight and The Muppets Mayhem. Some worked better than others, but nothing has ever quite captured the magic of Jim Henson’s original chaotic variety hour. For years, we have been saying, “Why don’t they just go back and do the original Muppet Show format, and stop trying to mess with it?” Now, Disney+ is finally giving it another shot, and this time, they are pulling out the big guns…
Seth Rogen (This Is The End, The Boys) and Evan Goldberg’s Point Grey Pictures are producing a brand new Disney+ television event marking the 50th anniversary of the original series. The special will also star singer-actress Sabrina Carpenter (Work It, Tall Girl 2) as a guest, with the idea that the event will serve as a backdoor pilot for a potential new Muppet Show revival.
The one-off will reunite Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and the rest of the gang back at the Muppet Theatre, dusting off the spotlights and (hopefully) blowing up the stage in glorious Muppet fashion. The script comes from Albertina Rizzo (Saturday Night Live) and will be directed by Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge! The Musical).
Veteran Muppet performers, including Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, David Rudman and Matt Vogel, are all returning. That is particularly exciting for fans because Goelz, who has been with the troupe for over 50 years, still voices Gonzo and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew among many others.
First launched in 1976, The Muppet Show became a global phenomenon, winning Emmys, Grammys, a Peabody and BAFTAs, and boasting legendary guest stars such as Elton John, Diana Ross, Johnny Cash, Debbie Harry and Paul Simon. All five original seasons are currently streaming on Disney+.
This Disney+ anniversary special follows recent projects like Muppets Haunted Mansion and The Muppets Mayhem, but there is an extra sense of hope here. With Rogen’s involvement and the anniversary hook, it feels like Disney might finally be leaning back into what made the Muppets timeless: big-hearted anarchy, celebrity chaos, and a whole lot of chicken-based gags.
‘The Muppet Show’ Disney+ anniversary special is set to premiere in 2026. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
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