The Muppets are making their return to the small screen with a new holiday special just in time for Halloween. Now, Disney Plus has released the first official trailer for Muppets Haunted Mansion, which provided a sneak peek at the special guest stars and hilarious antics of the beloved titular characters.
Much like previous Muppet films such as Muppet Treasure Island and The Muppet Christmas Carol, Disney Plus' new Halloween special will bring the wacky characters into the universe of a well-established IP. In this case, The Muppets will be making their way into the Haunted Mansion, a fictional location that serves as the spooky setting of a ghost attraction at multiple Disney theme park locations around the world.
Muppets Haunted Mansion will tell the tale of the Great Gonzo, who takes on the challenge of spending the night in the ghost-filled location after surviving his latest daredevil performance. As with the previously mentioned Muppet films, this Halloween special will cast Kermit the Frog and friends in roles famously featured in the Haunted Mansion attraction. For instance, Miss Piggy will take on the role of Madame Leota, Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew assume the part of possessed busts, while Janice will be in one of the portraits featured in the stretching room. Of course, any fan knows that a Muppet film or special wouldn't be complete without a handful of celebrity appearances, and the trailer for Muppets Haunted Mansion provides a glimpse at Will Anett as The Ghost Host, Yvette Nicole Brown as The Hearse Driver, Darren Criss as The Caretaker, and Taraji P. Henson as The Bride.
Considering the Muppets have fans of all ages, the trailer for Muppets Haunted Mansion has a few jokes that might fly over the heads of children. For example, the narrator of the preview welcomes viewers to the "home of fear and fight" before warning them that those who don't survive the night will rot in...well, luckily the Muppets interrupt to remind audiences that this Halloween special is a family affair. The preview continues by showing the chaos that ensues when Gonzo makes his way through the mansion, where he encounters ghostly versions of Kermit the Frog and Fozzy Bear. Appropriately enough, Fozzy still takes to the stage with some hilariously bad puns, showing these characters haven't lost their touch since Jim Henson introduced them to the world several decades ago.
Muppets Haunted Mansion will certainly be welcomed by fans who haven't been thrilled with what Disney has done with the Muppets since acquiring the rights to the characters. While Jason Segel's The Muppets was well-received and even earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song, Disney's subsequent projects with the characters haven't seemed to resonate with audiences.
Still, the fact that people are excited for the new Halloween special suggests fans are hopeful that The Muppets can still deliver quality content. If Muppets Haunted Mansion performs well and pleases viewers, perhaps fans can expect more shenanigans from Kermit, Missy Piggy, Fozzy, Gonzo, and the rest of the gang.
Muppets Haunted Mansion will be released on October 8, 2021, on Disney Plus.
Source: Disney Plus/YouTube