| Muppets Haunted Mansion | |
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| Directed by | Kirk Thatcher |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Craig Kief |
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| Distributed by | Disney+ |
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Running time | 50 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Muppets Haunted Mansion is a 2021 AmericancomedyHalloween special based on theDisney propertiesThe Muppets andThe Haunted Mansion. It was released onDisney+ on October 8, 2021. The plot starsGonzo andPepe as they face the challenge of staying in a haunted mansion for one night. It is the Muppets' first Halloween special and received generally positive reviews from critics.
Instead of attending the Muppets' annual Halloween party,Gonzo andPepe are on their way to a fear challenge event in the same haunted mansion where Gonzo's favorite magician, The Great MacGuffin, disappeared one-hundred years ago. Upon being dropped off by theirhearse driver, Gonzo and Pepe meet the Caretaker, along with severalghosts and singingbusts.
Their "Ghost Host" tells Gonzo that he has been summoned to the mansion to see if he can survive one night. If he cannot, he and Pepe will be trapped there forever. While Gonzo claims that he fears nothing, Pepe is easily scared by everything he sees in the mansion. After meeting Madame Pigota (who resemblesMiss Piggy), Gonzo and Pepe come across a room full of several ghosts resembling various Muppets. The Host soon appears and informs Gonzo that in order to survive the mansion he must face his fears in Room 999.
As Gonzo is led to the room, Pepe meets and becomes entranced by the ghost of Constance Hatchaway, who plans to marry and then kill him as he meets the ghosts of her past husbands. Gonzo is trapped in Room 999 (with the room's number sign turning upside down to read "666") and starts to turn old as his reflection taunts him. Recalling a conversation withKermit he had earlier, Gonzo realizes he is indeed afraid of something: that no one will like him if he does not do dangerous stunts. He then remembers the Host's advice of facing his fears being the key to escaping the room after fearing he will be trapped in the mansion forever. Gonzo ultimately realizes he is afraid of never seeing his friends again and the room de-ages and releases him.
The Host congratulates Gonzo for facing his fears and tells him that he is free to go so long as he makes it out by sunrise. After realizing that Pepe is in trouble, Gonzo refuses to leave without him. With the help of the Host'scandelabra, Gonzo is able to find Pepe and stop the wedding. The pair jump out the window and make it out of the mansion just as the sun rises.
The Host meets them at the gate, revealing himself to be the Great MacGuffin, who is impressed that Gonzo was willing to do what he could not; face his fears. The hearse driver picks them up and Kermitvideo calls asking the pair to meet him and the other Muppets for breakfast. He then comments that Gonzo and Pepe should bring their friends along, leading the two to turn and see the Hitchhiking Ghosts behind them.
Early attempts to produce a Halloween special centered onThe Muppets date back to the early 1990s. FollowingJim Henson's death, his sonBrian planned to continue the franchise's presence on television by releasing a series of holiday specials, with the first one tentatively centered around Halloween.[1] The project was ultimately cancelled, and eventually the television seriesMuppets Tonight (1996–1998) and the 2000 video gameMuppet Monster Adventure were released instead.
In March 2009, it was announced during a special event atDisney's Hollywood Studios, thatthe Walt Disney Company, who acquired The Muppets in 2004, was developing a Halloween special based on the franchise.[2] A 2010 release date was later announced.[3] However, the special was postponed in order forthe Muppets Studio to focus entirely on the2011 film, and eventually cancelled.[4]
In May 2021, a Muppets Halloween special based on theDisney theme park attractionThe Haunted Mansion, titledMuppets Haunted Mansion, was announced to be in development.[5] Filming took place in April 2021 during eighteen days.[6] In August 2021, longtime Muppet directorKirk Thatcher revealed that he wrote and directed the special, and shared a teaser image from it.[7]
Later that month,Geoff Keighley andDarren Criss were revealed to be part of the cast as Uncle Theodore and The Caretaker, respectively, while Kelly Younger was revealed as co-writer.[8][9] The rest of the cast was announced the following September.[10]
Ed Mitchell and Steve Morrell wrote the music for the special,[11] including three new songs, titled "Rest In Peace", "Life Hereafter", and "Tie The Knot Tango",[12] as well as a cover ofKing Harvest's "Dancing in the Moonlight".[10]
This was one ofEd Asner's final acting works before his death, he was described on The Muppets social media as "a great friend of the Muppets" at the time of his death and the special was dedicated to his memory.[13]
Muppets Haunted Mansion was released exclusively onDisney+ on October 8, 2021.[14][5]The special made its linear TV premiere onDisney Channel on October 22, 2022.
According toWhip Media,Muppets Haunted Mansion was the 6th most streamed movie across all platforms in the United States during the week of October 10, 2021,[15] and the 10th during the week of October 17, 2021.[16]
On review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 70% based on 30 reviews, with an average rating of 6.30/10.[17]Metacritic gave the film a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18]
John Serba ofDecider praised the humor saying, "Muppets Haunted Mansion is trifling silliness. It inspires some smiles, if not out-loud laughter."[19] W. Andrew Powell ofThe GATE reviewed the show positively, stating, "Disney World'sHaunted Mansion meets The Muppets in one of the best, and most entertaining Muppet experiences in years."[20] Victoria Rose Caister ofGameRant.com complimented the series, stating that the "spooky elements are actually done in a very nice way", and the show is "a really solid watch that will be easy to throw on for kids or adults at Halloween time."[21]
Garrett Martin ofPaste rated the Halloween special 8 out of 10 and stated thatMuppets Haunted Mansion recalls ofThe Muppet Show, saying, "It's a silly, ultimately heartfelt hour destined to become a holiday favorite for fans of Disney parks, the Muppets, or just felt in general."[22] Tara Bennett ofIGN gave the series 8 out of 10, claiming, "The Muppets at their best are timeless, and this special captures much of that spirit."[23] Polly Conway ofCommon Sense Media rated the Halloween special 4 out of 5 stars, stated the Halloween special promotes positive message and role models, such as being courageous and encouraging others, while complimenting the diverse representations across the portrayal of different origins.[24]
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
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| 2022 | Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Children's Program | Muppets Haunted Mansion | Won | [25] |
| Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards | Best Contemporary Makeup - Television Special, One Hour or More Live Program Series, or Movie for Television | Elle Favorule, Sonia Cabrera, Michelle Sfarzo | Nominated | [26] | |
| Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Fiction Special | Muppets Haunted Mansion | Nominated | [27] | |
| Outstanding Casting for a Live-Action Program | Tony Shepherd, Anne McGinnis | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design | Darcy Prevost, Kathryn Molenaar, Mark D. Allen, Jeanine Ringer | Won | |||
| Outstanding Special Effects Costumes, Hair and Makeup | Lisa Davis, Rebecca Graves, Donna May, Sean Smith, Renee Vaca, Elle Favorule, Sonia Cabrera | Nominated |
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