After a pair of pilots made in 1974 and 1975, The Muppet Show officially hit the airwaves in 1976—which means 2026 marks an important milestone for Kermit the Frog and his pals. To celebrate the big 50th anniversary, Disney+ will air a one-off special in the much-loved variety show format, with pop star Sabrina Carpenter as a featured guest.
In addition, the Hollywood Reporter writes that there’s the potential for the special to turn into a “backdoor pilot” for a future Muppet Show revival.
There are some heavy hitters behind the scenes, according to the trade; Carpenter won’t just be appearing in the show, she’s also among its executive producers. Another executive producer is Seth Rogen, though there’s no word if he’ll join the cast.
The main attraction, of course, will be the Muppets themselves; as THR explains, “longtime Muppet performers Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, David Rudman, and Matt Vogel will perform most of the muppetry.”
This is exciting news for the Muppets’ many fans, coming not long after learning more details about the Muppet-themed roller coaster coming to Walt Disney World next year. Disney has had control of the Muppets since 2004, with the 2023 musical series Muppets Mayhem being the most recent Disney+ production to date.
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