Fans Are Saying The Same Thing About Sabrina Carpenter's Muppets Show Special On Disney+

Back in 2004, Disney purchased the rights to a majority of the Muppet film and television library. However, in the years since, they've had more stumbles than successes with Jim Henson's beloved, fuzzy characters. While "The Muppets" movie in 2011 with Jason Segel was a blockbuster hit, the sequel that followed wasn't quite up to snuff, and there have been various false starts on television here and there, ranging from a canceled ABC workplace sitcom akin to "The Office" to a streaming debut on Disney+.

However, it sounds like Disney is gearing up to bring the Muppets back into the spotlight in a big way. The Hollywood Reporter has news that "The Muppet Show" is being revived in 2026, starting with a Disney+ special that will star pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter, who will also act as an executive producer on the project. The hope is that this will act as a backdoor pilot that effectively reintroduces the classic Muppets TV show to a new audience.

Even more exciting is the fact that Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, fresh off their many Emmy wins for the hilarious comedy series "The Studio," will be acting as executive producers through their Point Grey Pictures banner alongside James Weaver and Alex McAtee. In addition, David Lightbody, Leigh Slaughter, and Michael Steinbach will executive produce for The Muppets Studio. Albertina Rizzo will write the special with Alex Timbers directing, and both will also executive produce. Matt Vogel and Eric Jacobson are also executive producers. 

Most importantly, longtime Muppet performers Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, David Rudman, and Matt Vogel will be the ones behind most of the muppets.

Considering the meta approach that "The Muppets Show" took to putting on a variety show with celebrity guests and musical acts, both in human and Muppet form, bringing on Rogen and Goldberg is an inspiring touch, and using a trending, chart-topping performer like Sabrina Carpenter, who has outstanding comedic chops of her own, will only help put the Muppets in front of a bigger audience.

For their part, many Muppets and Sabrina Carpenter fans all seem to be having the same reaction: They're excited about the prospect of the Muppets coming back in a big way, especially with Carpenter involved. But there's also trepidation because of what's been going on with ABC and the debacle involving "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" being suddenly taken off the air. 

First of all, many fans could not be more thrilled that Sabrina Carpenter is teaming up with the Muppets. Not only does this bring the star back to her Disney roots, where she broke through as the co-star of "Girl Meets World," the legacyquel series that followed up on "Boy Meets World," but it teams her up with a great roster of characters that will let her sense of humor shine.

ZeroTheCat on Reddit said:

"As a HUGE fan of the Muppets, when I watched her Grammys performance I couldn't help but imagine some penguins in tuxedos bopping around and how she would have KILLED on the Original Muppet Show. I CANNOT believe this is happening.

This is quite literally a GENIUS move by Disney if they are really serious about putting money into this. Sabrina's music/humor is so RIPE for this and the format if they're doing it like the OG.

I also DEMAND they include Frank Oz in this. I NEED his Miss Piggy interacting with Sabrina Carpenter."

Another Sabrina Carpenter follower said on Twitter, "Please let this be a weekly show that has at least 20 episodes a year for 2+ years." Another post on Twitter echoed those sentiments, "Sabrina Carpenter and the Muppets are kind of a match made in heaven. I love this."

Meanwhile, a fan on Twitter imagined Carpenter and Miss Piggy either being best friends or sworn enemies:

Twitter

In fact, there were many fans acknowledging that Sabrina Carpenter's stage persona is one that has a lot of Miss Piggy energy. Reddit user SnooSongs1160 said, "The way I've been calling Sabrina's schtick 'Miss Piggy sexy' for like a year ... she was born for this." Meanwhile, another user posted on Twitter:

"This is my literal dream. You don't understand how perfect Sabrina Carpenter is to be a guest host of The Muppet show. The backstage [plotline] potential of a Sabrina, Miss Piggy rivalry or Sabrina thinking Fozzie is hot."

However, along with the excitement came some trepidation in the wake of the controversy surrounding the actions of ABC in taking late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel off the air.

On Reddit, there were many comments noting that Disney, which also owns ABC, being the home of the Muppets really left a sour taste in their mouth. 

A comment from Reddit user almbeck said, "Couldn't have picked a worse time to announce this.....f*** ABC/Disney." Reddit user Ninjabuziness added, "The Muppets are literally my comfort watch, and I love Sabrina too, so I was excited for this, except when I heard about the other bull***t they pulled."

Reddit user shookney didn't mince any words about the situation in a comment:

"Unfortunately ABC owned by Disney just dropped Jimmy Kimmel over remarks regarding Charlie Kirk even tho it was truly nothing when you have Fox News calling [for the] murder of homeless people so ... as much as I want to tune in this, I hope everyone recognizes that beyond the rainbow joyful imagery of The Muppets, there is a fascism at play behind the scenes and I urge to not give Disney any dimes."

Xenobrina on Reddit wrote, "This was seemingly ABC/Disney trying to dilute the Jimmy backlash, but they spent so long tarnishing the Muppet franchise that it did not even work. Kind of funny in a sad, 'we're all gonna die in two weeks,' way." Reddit user Local-Explorer-2538 simply said, "F*** them but I'd love a Sabrina/Miss Piggy collab." 

Meanwhile, user 37minutesleft was a little more hopeful, writing, "At our most desperate time, the time we needed them most, they come back <3."