Jim Henson Idea Man | |
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Directed by | Ron Howard |
Written by |
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Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Vanja Cernjul John Chater Igor Martinovic Jenni Morello |
Edited by | Paul Crowder Sierra Neal |
Music by | David Fleming |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Disney+ |
Release dates | May 18, 2024 (Cannes)
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Running time | 108 minutes [1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Jim Henson Idea Man is a 2024 American documentary film directed by Ron Howard, about puppeteer Jim Henson. The film chronicles Henson's life, from the early years of his career to the creation of properties like the Muppets, Sesame Street , and The Dark Crystal , and also focuses on his creative and romantic partnership with his wife Jane Henson. [2] The film features interviews with family members and collaborators of Jim Henson, including Frank Oz. [2]
It premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, in the Cannes Classics sections on May 18, 2024. It premiered on Disney+ worldwide on May 31, 2024. [3]
A biographical feature film based on Jim Henson's life, known as Muppet Man, has been in development at Walt Disney Pictures and The Jim Henson Company since 2010. [4] The project was based on a spec script written by Christopher Weekes, which had topped the 2009 Black List. [5] [6] In April 2021, it was reported that Michael Mitnick was hired to rewrite the screenplay, previously written by Aaron and Jordan Kandell. Lisa Henson would serve as producer. [7]
In March 2022, another attempt to adapt Henson's life, as a then-untitled Jim Henson Idea Man, was announced, stating Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment was partnering with Disney+ on a documentary "with the full participation and cooperation of the Henson family". [8] The film's title, as well as its scheduled release date of May 31, 2024, on Disney+, were officially announced on April 11, 2024. [2] [3]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 100% of 39 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10.The website's consensus reads: "A rich and warm overview of Jim Henson's life and career that avoids simplistic hagiography, Ron Howard's documentary will give audiences a much clearer idea of the pioneering puppeteer's artistry." [9] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [10]
Michael Nordine of Variety felt Idea Man is a conventional documentary "whose feel-good charms are undercut only slightly by its adherence to the tried-and-true nonfiction formula ... If it's easy to wish Idea Man were as bold as its subject, though, it's just as easy to be won over by this deservedly heartfelt tribute to him." [11] Matthew Carey of Deadline Hollywood reflected on the prior documentaries made about Henson's life and career, but felt "[Ron] Howard brings fresh energy to the subject through the skillful use of animations based on Henson's impressive drawings and wonderful archival rarities that go beyond what has been seen in previous treatments of Henson's life." [12]
For The Hollywood Reporter , Daniel Feinberg wrote Idea Man "delivers less perspective on Henson's personality and motivations than sheer evidence of his drive. That's fine, and the documentary is fine. Anybody with affection for Henson and his work will get the requisite laughs, nostalgia and probably emotions from the footage Howard assembled here." [13] Kate Erbland of Indiewire graded the film a B+, writing despite the star-studded interview appearances, "Howard leans into honesty. The film is so much better for it, even as it can't quite capture the full magic and scope of Henson's life and work." [14]
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
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Cannes Film Festival [15] | 24 May 2024 | L'Œil d'or | Ron Howard | Nominated |
James Maury Henson was an American puppeteer, animator, actor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well known for creating Fraggle Rock (1983–1987) and as the director of The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986).
Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character created and originally performed by Jim Henson in 1955. Kermit is the pragmatic everyman protagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably as the showrunner and host of the sketch comedy television series The Muppet Show and a featured role on Sesame Street. He has appeared in other television series, feature films, specials, and public service announcements through the years. He also served as a mascot of The Jim Henson Company and appeared in various Henson projects until 2004.
The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, surrealist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety-sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses television, film, music, and other media associated with the characters. Originally owned by the Jim Henson Company for nearly five decades, the franchise was purchased by the Walt Disney Company in 2004.
Frank Oz is an American puppeteer, filmmaker, and actor. He is best known for his involvement with Jim Henson and George Lucas through the Muppets, Sesame Street, and Star Wars, as well as his directorial work in feature films and theater.
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies, commonly known by the shortened title Muppet Babies, is an American animated television series produced by Marvel Productions and Henson Associates. The show portrays toddler versions of the Muppets living together in a nursery under the care of a woman known as Nanny, involving the concepts of the power of imagination and creative problem-solving. The show's main target group is for children aged 2–5. The idea of presenting the Muppets as children appeared in a dream sequence in The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), released two months before Muppet Babies debuted. The idea was a success, and it transformed into a spin-off.
The Jim Henson Company is an American entertainment company located in Los Angeles, California. The company is known for its innovations in the field of puppetry, particularly through the creation of Kermit the Frog and the Muppets characters.
The Muppet Movie is a 1979 musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film to feature the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the film was written by The Muppet Show writers Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns. Produced between the first and second half of The Muppet Show's third season, the film tells the origin story of the Muppets, as Kermit the Frog embarks on a cross-country trip to Los Angeles, encountering several of the Muppets—who all share the same ambition of finding success in professional show business—along the way while being pursued by Doc Hopper, a greedy restaurateur with intentions of employing Kermit as a spokesperson for his frog legs business.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 American Christmas musical film directed by Brian Henson from a screenplay by Jerry Juhl. It is the fourth theatrical film featuring the Muppets. Adapted from the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, the film stars Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, alongside Muppet performers Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, and Frank Oz. Although artistic license is taken to suit the aesthetic of the Muppets, The Muppet Christmas Carol otherwise follows Dickens's original story closely. It is the first Muppet film to be produced following the deaths of Muppets creator Jim Henson and performer Richard Hunt; the film is dedicated to both.
Imagine Entertainment, formerly Imagine Films Entertainment, also known simply as Imagine, is an American film and television production company founded in November 1985 by producer Brian Grazer and director Ron Howard.
Jane Ann Henson was an American puppeteer and co-founder of Muppets Inc with her husband Jim Henson.
The Muppets Studio, LLC is an American entertainment production company and subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, that owns and produces media content for The Muppets franchise. The division was previously formed as The Muppets Holding Company, LLC in 2004 through Disney's acquisition of The Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House intellectual properties from The Jim Henson Company.
Bill Barretta is an American puppeteer, producer, writer, director and actor, who is best known for providing the puppetry and voice of The Muppets characters such as Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear and Johnny Fiama. He originated the role of Louie, Elmo's dad, on Sesame Street. Barretta also inherited the roles of Rowlf the Dog, The Swedish Chef, and Dr. Teeth after the death of The Muppets creator Jim Henson.
Christopher Weekes is an Australian film director, film producer, actor, and screenwriter. He is best known for writing, directing and acting in the 2008 film Bitter & Twisted and for topping the 2009 Hollywood Blacklist with his spec screenplay "The Muppet Man".
Ron Howard is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is an American fantasy television series produced, made and owned by The Jim Henson Company. It is a prequel to the 1982 Jim Henson film The Dark Crystal that explores the world of Thra created for the original film. It follows the story of three Gelflings: Rian, Deet, and Brea, as they journey together on a quest to unite the Gelfling clans to rise against the tyrannical Skeksis and save their planet Thra from a destructive blight known as the Darkening. The series premiered on August 30, 2019, to critical acclaim. In September 2020, it was announced that the series had been cancelled after one season.
Michael Mitnick is an American playwright and screenwriter.
Muppets Haunted Mansion is a 2021 American comedy Halloween special based on the Disney properties The Muppets and The Haunted Mansion. It was released on October 8, 2021, via Disney+. It is the Muppets' first Halloween special. The plot stars Gonzo and Pepe as they face the challenge of staying in a haunted mansion for one night. It received generally positive reviews from critics.