No matter what happens, The Muppets will always remain one of the most family-friendly properties in Hollywood, and Hollywood will never stop trying to utilize their timelessness. Less than two years after ABC's satirical The Muppets was cancelled after a decent-to-troublesome single season, Disney is apparently putting another small screen comedy together for all the felt-faced friends. But don't expect to see it popping up on linear TV, as this new Muppets project is reportedly heading straight to Disney's upcoming standalone streaming service.
Disney's currently untitled streaming service is set to launch in the latter part of 2019, with a handful of highly anticipated projects being set to draw in potential customers, and a new Muppets TV series would be a fantastic way to attract viewers of all generations. (Not that kids would be paying for the service themselves, obviously.) The project is in the early stages, according to THR, so there aren't any concrete details to share just yet. The hunt is currently on for a head writer, however, so we'll hopefully have more awesome news soon.
For this new Disney reboot, getting the perfect writer is just about as important as getting the voices right, since tone and narrative craftsmanship are what separate the best Muppet properties from the less savory ones. ABC's The Muppets was created by The Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady and Anger Management writer Bob Kushell, with the latter leaving mid-production over creative issues. That incident was used as a springboard to try and relaunch several show elements that weren't working before, and The Muppets somehow got worse, leading to its cancellation. But as legendary Muppet voice actor and puppeteer Frank Oz put it (as did former Kermit voice actor Steve Whitmore), no one knows the Muppets better than the people who portray them, and that talented cast was constantly held back by the series' scripts and outsider input.
Considering the success of both The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted films, it's almost surprising that Disney chose to stay within the TV medium with a new Muppets project. Rumors had floated around recently that a new show was being considered, perhaps tied to Disney Channel's upcoming Muppet Babies reboot nearing its premiere date. And by all means, making the Muppets one of the launch properties for the new streaming service will give Disney a chance to showcase the unique comedy and pop culture love without the struggles of placating network execs and advertisers. Wakka-wakka!
This new Muppets show still has a ways to go before we'll get our eyes on any footage, as is the case for just about everything Disney is working on for its streaming service. If early reports all ring true, fans will get to see several live-action Star Wars series, a live-action Marvel show, a Monsters Inc. animated series, a High School Musical TV spinoff, and much more. And that's just the TV side. In feature news, we'll likely get a handful of big-name reboots of such live-action properties as Father of the Bride and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
With "Fall 2019" the current release window for Disney's streaming service, we'll be waiting with anticipation for new Muppets and more. But until then, head to our midseason premiere schedule to see everything coming in the near future.
