Disney has just unveiled the first trailer for Idea Man, Ron Howard’s documentary on the life of Jim Henson, and get ready to hold back the tears!
Like Walt Disney, Jim Henson’s name has gone beyond just the man himself to become a brand. A visionary in puppetry, Henson came to fame creating the characters for Sesame Street and then the hit The Muppet Show and its movies. Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, the Count, Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, the list goes on and Henson’s imagination seemed boundless.
Disney and Henson got along well with specials that would have Muppets interacting with Disney characters. It led to a huge deal in 1989 with Disney partnering with Henson and the idea of attractions like a “Muppet Movie Ride” at the Disney-MGM Studios and Henson being able to create some new projects on his own and let Disney run the Muppets.
All those plans were ended when Henson suddenly died of toxic shock syndrome on May 16, 1990, at the shockingly young age of 53. Thus, Muppet Vision 3D was the only project he was able to craft and it’s likely the reason why the attraction remains unchanged is Disney doesn’t want to mess with Henson’s final work.
In the decades since, the Muppets have continued onward with movies and TV shows and Henson’s legacy has grown. Now, Disney is giving him a proper tribute with Jim Henson Idea Man, a brand new documentary directed by Ron Howard. If anyone can pay proper tribute to Henson, it’s the Oscar-winning director of Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and more.
The documentary will have interviews with Hensons’ family of four children, longtime partner Frank Oz and stars as varied as Rita Moreno, Jennifer Connelly and others. Together, they show the man behind the vision that created so much magic.
""Jim Henson Idea Man" takes us into the mind of this singular creative visionary, from his early years of puppeteering on local television to the worldwide success of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and beyond. Featuring unprecedented access to Jim's personal archives, Howard brings us a fascinating and insightful look at a complex man whose boundless imagination inspired the world."
The first trailer for the documentary shows Henson at work from a young man to the end of his life, all to that classic song “The Rainbow Connection.” It will explore not just Muppets but his movies The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, as well as his personal life and how he crafted these characters.
The trailer hits you hard with the emotion, highlighting what a wonderful man Henson was and how much more he could have done if he’d lived longer. While no set length is given yet, two hours still seems barely enough to explore Henson’s life and impact.
This looks to be a fantastic tribute to a true artistic genius and hopefully makes this a great watch for any Muppets fan on May 31.
Jim Henson Idea Man streaming on Disney+ May 31.