The Muppets are having a standout year. The revival of ‘The Muppet Show’ on Disney+ picked up six Emmy nominations, including one for outstanding variety special in the pre-recorded category.
That momentum has carried into other places too. A few weeks after the Emmy nominations were announced, the Muppets performed at the FIFA World Cup Final halftime show. This spring, a new ride called ‘Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets’ opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.
The Muppet Show revival
‘The Muppet Show’ returned to Disney+ and ABC on February 4 with a 50th anniversary special. Sabrina Carpenter appeared as a guest star, and Seth Rogen served as an executive producer.
The special earned six nominations at the 78th Emmy Awards, including a nomination for outstanding variety special.
Eric Jacobson, who performs Miss Piggy and served as an executive producer on the special, said the team has strong momentum right now. Leigh Slaughter, vice president of the Muppets Studio and a fellow executive producer on the show, echoed that sentiment, saying this is a good time for the Muppets.
Matt Vogel, who voices Kermit the Frog and also served as an executive producer, said the production team focused on protecting the characters. He said the writing needed to feel true to who the Muppets are, and that everyone on set had an emotional reaction to seeing the classic format recreated with care.
The Muppets’ visibility had been building even before the anniversary special aired. Miss Piggy and Rowlf the Dog appeared as presenters at The Game Awards in December, continuing a pattern of Muppets cameos at the ceremony in past years.
The World Cup halftime show
The Muppets appeared alongside characters from Sesame Street during the first-ever World Cup final halftime show. FIFA and Global Citizen confirmed the lineup, which also included Coldplay, Madonna, Shakira, and BTS, with Justin Bieber added as a co-headliner in the weeks before the final.
During the performance, Janice and Sgt. Floyd Pepper from The Electric Mayhem performed ‘Seven Nation Army.’ Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, Count von Count, Cookie Monster, and Elmo also appeared, joined by Chris Martin, Shakira, and a global children’s choir.
Shakira was joined by Burna Boy, her collaborator on the official 2026 World Cup song. Conductor Gustavo Dudamel led a combined orchestra pairing the New York Philharmonic with Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra for part of the show.
A new theme park ride
The Muppets also expanded their presence at Disney’s theme parks this year. ‘Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets’ opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando this past spring, giving the characters a permanent physical presence at the park.
- Sabrina Carpenter
- The Muppet Show
