Jim Henson Biopic In Works For Disney
Disney and The Jim Henson Company have chosen a writer for an upcoming Jim Henson biopic, Muppet Man…
For a long time, folks who watch the moves of The Walt Disney Company have wondered aloud why The Mouse never fully embraced “The Muppets.”
Sure, we have seen a couple movies, an attempt at an ABC series, and a series of shorts.
But beyond the ubiquitous “Muppet Vision 3D” and The Muppet Show on Disney+, it’s not like Kermit and the gang are raising “the curtains” or lighting “the lights” in a big way.
However, maybe we’re seeing a changing of attitudes and trajectory.
Muppet Man
In an exclusive for Deadline, Andreas Wiseman posted:
The Current War and The Giver scribe Michael Mitnick has been set to write Jim Henson biopic Muppet Man for Disney and The Jim Henson Company, we can reveal.
Currently, in development, the live-action film will chart the life and times of the legendary puppeteer, creator of The Muppets, Fraggle Rock, and many of the Sesame Street characters, as well as director of cult films such as Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal.
The movie will home in on Henson’s journey to convince broadcasters that The Muppets was a great idea and how he worked to get the characters on air where they became a comedy staple.
Thinking About Jim
Jim Henson (1936 – 1993) is described by Henson.com as “an extraordinary artist and visionary, invented unique worlds and characters that remain just as vivid, original and fresh today as when they were created. A television pioneer, an innovator in puppetry, technology, and visual arts, and a performer who literally brought to life some of the most memorable characters ever-including the world’s most famous frog, Kermit™ – Jim Henson’s impact on entertainment, education, and culture continues to this day.”
Of course, so many of us grew up on The Muppets and the nostalgia factor could be very high for the show. In my mind’s eye, I picture something like Saving Mr. Banks meets Kermit.
And given how often I think about that movie, here’s hoping.