The Muppets have made several attempts at producing Halloween-themed television specials. The first was The Muppet Halloween Show in the early 1970s. A theatrical feature was considered during the 1990s, followed by an attempt at an ongoing series in the early 2000s.
1991
A year after Jim Henson's death, a short piece in TV Guide talked about plans for the Muppets' return to television:
The early treatments of the Halloween special included scenes where the Muppet characters turned into classic Hollywood monsters (i.e., Kermit/Frankenstein, Piggy/Bride of Frankenstein, Fozzie/The Wolfman to name a few).
The same idea was later explored in a Henson video game, Muppet Monster Adventure.
2009
A special event was held for Walt Disney World Passholders at Disneyโs Hollywood Studios on March 7th, 2009. Craig Shemin hosted a presentation and guest panel including Dave Goelz (with Gonzo), Heather Henson, and Stephanie D'Abruzzo. It was revealed during a Q&A session about upcoming projects that a new Halloween special with the Muppets was in the works.[2]
Rumors soon circulated that the special was scheduled to air in October that year,[3] but was later confirmed at the D23 Expo that the special was on hold until 2010.[4]
According to the Disney news website Jim Hill Media, the special has been postponed once again. With the official announcement of the production of a The Muppets in 2011, The Muppets Studio plans to focus all creative energy on a theatrical production, with the possibility of returning to the Halloween special for 2012.[5]
Sources
- โ Beck, Marilyn. "Kermit and company come back anew to TV", TV Guide. May 11, 1991.
- โ WDW Radio "Passholder Muppet Event" by Lou Mongello, March 11th, 2009
- โ MuppetNewsflash Blog, May 28, 2009
- โ ToughPigs D23 coverage, September 14, 2009
- โ Jim Hill Media, April 29, 2010