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Credit: DisneyWill it still be The Muppets without Kermit?
Every franchise has its own iconic character; for Disney, it’s Mickey Mouse; for Pokemon, it’s Pikachu; and for The Muppets, it has undoubtedly been Kermit the Frog. The instantly recognizable character created by Jim Henson has been a staple in not only the Muppets, but puppetry in general, making regular appearances in the early years of Sesame Street and being the face of The Muppet Show and The Jim Henson Company, but it seems he may have fallen from popularity!
Longtime fans of The Muppets have undoubtedly noticed a change in Kermit in recent years. The famous frog has only had three different puppeteers/voice actors over the years, and the third only recently. Starting off with Jim Henson himself, his unmistakable humorous and quirky voice was heard on The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, The Muppet Movie (1979), and most appearances until his death in 1990, when his protege and hand-selected replacement, Steve Whitmire, took over.
Whitmire voiced the character in Muppet classics like The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), Muppet Treasure Island (1996), and every subsequent Kermit appearance until 2016 when he was dismissed mysteriously from the studio. The Muppet organization, including Jim Henson’s own children, claimed that the actor had been increasingly difficult to work with over the years, leading to his dismissal, something which Whitmire still denies.
True or not, Whitmire is now gone, replaced by Matt Vogel, who, try as he might, doesn’t sound quite like Henson or Whitmire. Though Vogel is a Muppet veteran, fans have pointed out the difference and are none too happy with it, which may be what has led to this latest project from the Jim Henson Company and the Walt Disney Company.
Inside the Magic readers will already be aware of the new Muppet series coming to Disney+, The Muppets Mayhem, starring the eponymous Muppet band Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. As the date of release draws closer, Disney has been releasing more and more promotional material, but one thing has been conspicuously absent, or rather, one character:
@TheMuppets recently posted:
Peace ✌️ Love ❤️ Mayhem 💥 #TheMuppetsMayhem is streaming May 10, only on @DisneyPlus!
Peace ✌️ Love ❤️ Mayhem 💥 #TheMuppetsMayhem is streaming May 10, only on @DisneyPlus! pic.twitter.com/pOZueWfDeR
— The Muppets (@TheMuppets) April 11, 2023
In all promotional material for the new series, there’s no sight nor sound of Kermit the Frog, the very symbol of The Muppets! While true, this promises to be a story focusing on a different group of Muppets; it’s strange that the very character that started it all hasn’t appeared in any release, not the poster, not the trailer, no promotional images or anything. Could it be that the Muppets, as a franchise, are distancing themselves from Kermit?
Related: Disney Teases Latest Muppets Project In New Photos From Series
Whatever the case, The Muppets Mayhem promises to be a hilarious and wild ride, complete with the classic Muppet earmarks of outstanding puppetry, voice acting, and celebrity cameos. Fans can catch the new series streaming on Disney+ on May 10. The series stars Dr. Teeth, Lips, Animal, Floyd Pepper, Janice, and Zoot (The Electric Mayhem), alongside human performers Lilly Singh as Nora, Tahj Mowry as Gary “Moog” Moogwski, Saara Chaudry as Hannah and Anders Holm as JJ.
What do you think about this development? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!