The Muppets are an ensemble cast of puppet characters created by Jim Henson in 1955. These puppets became famous for their unique looks, and self-referencing sketch comedy. The Muppets are the focus of a big media franchise that includes television, film, music, and other forms of media.
The Muppets found a wider audience when they started appearing on Sesame Street in 1969, and some people claim they learned numbers and letters with the help of the show Sesame Street, which still airs even today. But, what really launched them into the international recognition they have today is The Muppet Show which ran from 1976 to 1981. During the 70s and 80s, the Muppets franchise expanded into theatrical movies. There is one movie with Jason Segal and the Muppets almost everybody knows, but there are a lot more Muppet movies than that one. In this article, we are going to list all Muppet movies in order.
How many Muppet movies are there?
There are thirteen Muppet movies. Eight movies came out in theaters, and the others were direct-to-video releases. The first movie came out in 1979, and the last so far came out in 2014.
Muppet movies in order (at a glance)
The main characters of The Muppet Show and all other subsequent media include Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Rowlf the Dog, Scooter, Rizzo the Rat, Pepe the King Prawn, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Statler and Waldorf, the Swedish Chef, Sam Eagle, Camilla the Chicken, Walter, and the Electric Mayhem, a band.
- The Muppet Movie (1979)
- The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
- The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
- Billy Bunny’s Animal Songs (1993)
- Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
- Muppets from Space (1999)
- It’s A Very, Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
- Kermit’s Swamp Years (2002)
- The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz (2005)
- A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008)
- The Muppets (2011)
- The Muppets: Most Wanted (2014)
The majority of the Muppets are hand puppets, but some of the characters are utilizing rods. They are known for having wide mouths and large protruding eyes. The characters can represent humans, anthropomorphic characters, animals, robots, or even extraterrestrials.
What is the best way to watch Muppet movies?
The best way to watch all thirteen Muppet movies is by their release date. These movies are mostly stand-alone adventures the Muppets go on with friends.
Muppet movies in order (by release date)
1. The Muppet Movie (1979)
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Jack Burns, Jerry Juhl
Release Date: May 31, 1979
Runtime: 1h 34m
Synopsis: Kermit the Frog decides to become a movie star! To achieve his dream, he needs to go on a trip from Florida to California. On his journey, he befriends Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and rock musicians Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Kermit will soon find out that it is not easy to make it in Tinseltown, and that he will need the help of his friends more than he anticipated.
2. The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
Director: Jim Henson
Release Date: Jun 26, 1981
Runtime: 1h 35m
Synopsis: In the new Muppets film, we follow spirited journalists Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo as they go to England to write about a British jewel heist. The trio first has to settle in at the rowdy Happiness Hotel, and then they have to find the socialite Lady Holiday, who is the victim of the theft. The whings take a weird turn as Miss Piggy is framed for the heist by her aristocrat’s scheming brother, Nicky. Now, our three journalists have to work together to clear Piggy’s name.
3. The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
Director: Frank Oz
Writer: Tom Patchett, Jay Tarses, Frank Oz
Release Date: Jul 13, 1984
Runtime: 1h 34m
Synopsis: Kermit the Frog and his friends create a stage act, and they are sure that their act is ready to move from the college stage to Broadway. Once the Muppets get to New York City, they have a hard time finding financial aid for the production, instead of running to cheats like Murray Plotsky. When they are not successful to stage the show, the group has to split up, and they all take different jobs around the country. Things take an unexpected turn, when Kermit gets into an accident and gets amnesia.
4. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Director: Brian Henson
Writer: Jerry Juhl
Release Date: Dec 11, 1992
Runtime: 1h 25m
Synopsis: The Muppets take on a classic Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, the clerk of mean Ebenezer Scrooge. Other Muppets like Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Fozzie Bear come in and out of the story, while Scrooge receives visits from spirits of three Christmases. This movie tells us a timeless tale of the error of our self-serving ways and shows us a miserable old man that seems to be past any hope of redemption and happiness.
5. Billy Bunny’s Animal Songs (1993)
Director: David Gumpel
Writer: Jim Lewis, Bill Prady
Release Date: May 21, 1993
Runtime: 30m
Synopsis: Kermit the Frog tells us the story of Billy Bunny, a bunny who sings his way through the forest as he runs across a swamp full of frogs, a cave full of rapping bears, and a singing porcupine. This is the first of the titles in the Muppet Sing-Alongs series. This movie features songs like Hoppity-Boppity, We Are Different, Bear Rap, The Termite Chew, and many more.
6. Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Director: Brian Henson
Writer: Robert Louis Stevenson, Jerry Juhl, Kirk R. Thatcher, James V. Hart
Release Date: Feb 16, 1996
Runtime: 1h 39m
Synopsis: Kermit, Long John Silver, and Young Jim Hawkins go hunting for lost treasures using a dead pirate’s treasure map.
7. Muppets from Space (1999)
Director: Tim Hill
Writer: Jerry Juhl, Joey Mazzarino, Ken Kaufman
Release Date: Jul 14, 1999
Runtime: 1h 28m
Synopsis: Daredevil Gonzo steps into his first Muppet main role in Muppets From Space. Gonzo shins in the movie as a lovably goof with enormous enthusiasm and an unsinkable optimism in this hilarious extraterrestrial adventure about the search for Gonzo’s real family. On his quest, Gonzo is joined by his buddy Rizzo as he discovers that his long-lost relatives are actually aliens.
8. It’s A Very, Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
Director: Kirk R. Thatcher
Writer: Tom Martin, Jim Lewis
Release Date: Nov 29, 2002
Runtime: 1h 36m
Synopsis: The Muppet Theatre is in danger! When Mr. Bitterman dies, the term of the Muppets’ loan changes so that the final payment is due before their annual Christmas show. When Fozzie, unfortunately, loses the loan money, the gang looks to Kermit for guidance. But, this is too much for our desperate Kermit, and he wishes had never been born. An angel named Daniel is sent to show him what the world would look like without him. Kermit finally realizes how important he is to the people around him, and that the Muppet Theatre is worth saving.
9. Kermit’s Swamp Years (2002)
Director: David Gumpel, Jim Lewis
Writer: Joey Mazzarino
Release Date: August 18, 2002
Runtime: 1h 22m
Synopsis: Kermit the Frog is nostalgic for home, and recalls the swamp of his childhood. In this movie, we find out Kermit’s origin story. Back in the day, he and his friends Croaker and Goggles spent their days idly in their wetland home, but as enjoyable as his lifestyle is, Kermit had the urge to explore and experience the world outside his safe home. In a twist of fate, his friends are kidnapped and now Kermit must take a big leap outside his comfort zone.
10. The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz (2005)
Director: Kirk R. Thatcher
Writer: Debra Frank, Steve Hayes, Tom Martin, Adam F. Goldberg
Release Date: April 27, 2005
Runtime: 1h 36m
Synopsis: With dreams of stardom, Dorothy joins forces with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion to fight the Wicked Witch of the West. In this movie we explore another classic tale, but with a Muppet twist.
11. A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008)
Director: Kirk R. Thatcher
Writer: Hugh Fink, Scott Ganz, Andrew Samson, Paul Williams
Release Date: December 17, 2008
Runtime: 56m
Synopsis: The Muppets are on a Christmas mission to personally deliver three letters to Santa Claus at the North Pole, but this mission is accidentally diverted by Gonzo.
12. The Muppets (2011)
Director: James Bobin
Writer: Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller
Release Date: Nov 23, 2011
Runtime: 1h 38m
Synopsis: Walter is the world’s biggest Muppet fan. Walter goes on vacation in Los Angeles with his brother Gary and Gary’s girlfriend, Mary, and they accidentally discover that greedy Tex Richman plans to demolish Muppet Studios and drill for oil on that spot. Desperate to save the Muppets’ former stomping grounds, our trio has to join forces with the Muppets to hold a telethon to raise the $10 million they need to save the studio.
13. The Muppets: Most Wanted (2014)
Director: James Bobin
Writer: James Bobin, Nicholas Stoller
Release Date: Mar 21, 2014
Runtime: 1h 46m
Synopsis: Dominic Badguy, the Muppets’ new manager, convinces the puppets to go on a world tour. Kermit the Frog has doubts about the tour, a feeling that’s proven right when everything goes terribly wrong.
Where to watch Muppet movies?
In 2004 The Walt Disney Company purchased the Muppet franchise, so all thirteen Muppet movies can exclusively be found on Disney+.
Do you need to watch Muppet movies in order?
There is no need to watch the Muppet movies in order. Every movie features the majority of the same characters, but every movie is a different adventure that is in no way connected to other movies.
Are Muppet movies connected?
The Muppet movies aren’t connected. The movies share mostly the same cast with new central characters in every different Muppet movie. So, the movies are only a part of the same franchise, but that is all they have in common.
Will there be more Muppet movies?
At this time, there are no plans for new Muppet movies. But, don’t lose hope, because Disney announced a new Muppet series, The Muppet Madness. The series was announced in 2022, and it will follow the colorful rock band Electric Mayhem.
