Josh Gad’s Disney+ Muppets Series Canceled
Can The Muppet Show theme be played as a dirge?
It’s time to play the music
It’s time to light the lights
It’s time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight
It’s time to put on make up
It’s time to dress up right
It’s time to raise the curtain on the Muppet Show tonight
Unfortunately, that curtain won’t be raised; not anytime soon. Josh Gad’s Muppet comedy series has been canceled.
Muppets Live Another Day Dies In Preproduction
Disney+ will not be proceeding with Muppets Live Another Day, its scripted comedy series project written/executive produced by Frozen star Josh Gad and Once Upon a Time creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis.
The ABC Signature-produced comedy, which had been in the works at Disney’s upcoming streaming platform for awhile, had a pilot order. It will not go forward over discrepancy between the writing team’s creative vision and that of the top brass at Disney-owned Muppet Studio, which last year became part of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products in a company reorganization.
“After a little over a year and a half of working on a project called Muppets Live Another Day, @adamhorowitzla #eddykitsis and I have decided, with a heavy heart, to walk away,” Gad wrote in a lengthy Instagram post after news of the project’s demise broke. “Some times creative differences are just that.”
What Now For The Muppets?
This is not the end of The Muppets on TV, however.
The Muppets are among the most recognizable characters in the Disney IP library, and Disney+ had been looking to get a new Muppets series on the platform alongside original shows based on other iconic Disney-own brands like Marvel and Star Wars.
Along with a scripted comedy series, which underwent two rounds of development with different creative teams, Disney+ had been developing a variety series, a reimagining of the classic The Muppet Show. That project was announced at Disney’s recent D23 confab as Muppets Now, a short-form “unscripted” show, featuring celebrity guests. It will debut on Disney+ in 2020.
ABC previously tried a Muppets reboot series with the 2015 The Muppets, which lasted one season. Meanwhile, Disney Junior is enjoying success with Muppet Babies, which recently received an early third-season renewal.
All of this happening in Hollywood, and with Disney’s penchant for recycling, who knows if the show might find its way to the screen in the future. But, for now, The Muppets Live Another Day is dead. Stay tuned.