Disney rebooting The Muppets for their streaming service
The Disney+ streaming service apparently has no room for Muppets, as Deadline reports that the streamer has cancelled plans for the new series Muppets Live Another Day. Despite being featured in recent promos for the service, the cancellation comes after a clash of vision between Disney brass and writer/executive producer Josh Gad (Frozen) and Once Upon a Time creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis. The show would have been a direct followup to 1984’s The Muppets Take Manhattan, with Kermit trying to get the gang back together to find a lost Rowlf.
Disney+ still has a variety series reimagening the original The Muppet Show, announced with title Muppets Now. The short-form “unscripted” show featuring celebrity guests is still set to debut in 2020.
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Muppets Live Another Day is now the fourth Disney+ casualty while the streamer is still two months away from debuting. They previously shuttered the scripted comedy series Four Dads, Book of Enchantment (based on the Villains book series by Serena Valentino), and the kid series Sulphur Springs, which is now a pilot at the Disney Channel.
Disney has not had much luck since the passing of Jim Henson in utilizing the Muppet brand on television. The previous ABC series The Muppets was co-created by Bill Prady (The Big Bang Theory) and Bob Kushell (The Simpsons) and aired for 16 episodes ending in March, 2016. Prior to that, ABC attempted another series in 1996 titled Muppets Tonight, utilizing the original Muppet performers, which ran for 22 episodes. Disney acquired The Muppets Studio in 2004.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though, as Disney Junior recently renewed the new animated Muppet Babies for a third season.
How do you feel about Disney+ cancelling Muppets Live Another Day? Let us know in the comments below!
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