The Muppets have been entertaining viewers for generations, and that's no exaggeration. The Muppets were created by Jim Henson in 1955, and since then, they've created many wonderous adventures, from classic television shows to modern musicals. Then there's the popular Muppets movie format that Disney seemingly refuses to make more of - adaptations of classic novels. Muppet Treasure Island and The Muppet Christmas Carol are two of the Muppet's most popular and rewatched movies. They also happen to be adaptations of classics with a large puppet cast, minus a few humans. It's a format that worked great for the Muppets, and frankly, the formula is there for countless other remakes. So why aren't there more?
The Muppets is a beloved ensemble cast of puppets, totaling over 100 Muppet characters. Since their introduction, this diverse cast of puppets has told many stories, including retelling familiar adventures. Some tales, like Muppet Haunted Mansion, played around with Disney-focused IP, while others involved bringing the gang back together or some other Muppet-themed quest. While those were fun, there's no denying the lasting impact of their adaptations.
There are so many reasons why Muppet adaptations of classics work. The cast is broad enough to accommodate most stories, letting the characters shift in and out to match the story being told. More importantly, the Muppets have a way of forging connections with the audience, turning a classic into a relatable adventure that anyone, regardless of age, can appreciate.
Let's look at some examples of this. In The Muppet Christmas Carol, putting Gonzo in the role of the narrator was a genius move. He faithfully told the story while sprinkling in that classic Muppets humor. Naturally, putting Kermit and Miss Piggy in the Cratchit roles ensured that audiences everywhere would care about the stakes. Then there's Muppet Treasure Island. Once again, Gonzo and Rizzo were at the forefront, playing the roles of best friends to young Jim Hawkins. So, again, they're carrying the load of comedic relief. This lets Kermit and other Muppets play more serious roles.
Here's the interesting bit, while both Muppet Treasure Island and The Muppet Christmas Carol are successful adaptations, they are wildly different, tonally. This has at least a little bit to do with the actors involved. In Christmas Carol, Michael Caine (Ebenezer Scrooge) treated all the Muppets like they were human actors, adding an odd sense of seriousness that worked with the tone of the movie. Conversely, Tim Curry (playing Long John Silver) felt more like a Muppet than a man. Yes, he was a dangerous pirate Muppet, but the slightly sillier tone helped keep the story family-friendly.
It's easy to see the limitless potential for the Muppets if they continued to use this established formula. Truthfully, fans have been begging for another adaptation, and there are so many good options to choose from! Imagine a modern-day retelling of The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or perhaps Pride and Prejudice! These ideas become even more exciting when fan-casting gets thrown into the mix.
This begs the question: why aren't there more? There's certainly no shortage of novels the Muppets could be playing with. The Muppet Christmas Carol released in 1992, and Muppet Treasure Island in 1996. The next adaptation would take almost a decade, with The Muppet's Wizard of Oz releasing in 2005. The latter of which broke the convention, as it was a made-for-TV movie. Maybe this is why it wasn't quite as well received, which may have created a cascading effect.
Of course, there's another major change that happened between the releases of Muppet Treasure Island and The Muppet's Wizard of Oz. Disney acquired the rights to the Muppets in February 2004. Disney immediately began trying to create a more modern take on the Muppets, which thus far has included a Disney+ Muppets show that felt more like a sitcom and two Muppets movies (The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted).
Fans are welcome to debate the success of these productions, as it's almost not the point. Muppets is a large enough franchise to support a longstanding television series alongside movie adaptation releases. The previous incarnation managed this. So once again, we're wondering why Disney is refusing to touch such a successful format. It's practically sitting there on a silver platter. One could argue that the 2000s saw television and movies shying away from adaptations, but that trend has undoubtedly come back around, with producers scrambling to buy the rights to successful novels, series, and comics.