A brand-new Muppets series is being developed for Disney+ and will focus on Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. The Muppets have been under the ownership of Disney since 2004. Most recently, they have been seen in Muppets Haunted Mansion on Disney+.
The Muppets hit center stage in the 1970s when The Muppet Show first debuted. The creation of master puppeteer Jim Henson, the series introduced the world to a host of charming puppet characters, including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, Gonzo the Great, and many more. Positioned as a sketch and variety series (which were incredibly common for the era) The Muppets also provided some biting satire for the entertainment industry. The success of The Muppet Show eventually led to films, including The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and several others.
According to a report from Slashfilm, Disney is currently partnering with The Goldbergs showrunner Adam Goldberg to develop a Muppets series for Disney+. This new take on The Muppets will shift focus to Electric Mayhem as the Muppet band gets together to record a new album. While The Muppets have historically lampooned the film and television industries, this new focus on Dr. Teeth and his crew will allow them to skewer the music industry.
Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem are classic Muppets characters. The “house band” of The Muppet Show, they were characterized by rock and roll music and a psychedelic color palette. Most typically, the band is depicted as consisting of Dr. Teeth, Janice, Animal, Zoot, and Floyd, with Scooter serving as their stage manager in The Muppet Movie. Additional updates surrounding the upcoming series involve the new faces that will be entering the story. Specifically, it has been revealed that the series will feature two new human characters named Hannah and Nora. Hannah is a young influencer with dreams of stardom, while Nora is a music executive responsible for raising her younger sister. The series will also introduce Nora’s ex-boyfriend Lyle, though it is not clear whether or not he will be a human or a Muppet.
The Muppets are a unique entity under the Disney banner in that they have remained relatively dormant in recent years following the success of their revival movie in 2011. Following the less-than-beloved sequel, Muppets Most Wanted, they have appeared in some ill-fated series and one-off Disney+ specials, some fans have argued that Disney has yet to capitalize on them as a piece of IP. That said, with Goldberg behind the scenes as a driving force and with the promise of a fresh angle on The Muppets with Electric Mayhem taking center stage, The Muppets may soon return to their former glory. The project currently does not have a set release date.
Source: Slashfilm