Frank Oz has spoken out in criticism of Disney’s recent Muppet movies, claiming that the studio’s attempts to acquire The Muppets “is probably what killed” creator Jim Henson.
He also claimed there is “a demarcation line between the Jim Henson Muppets and the Disney Muppets”.
However, Oz has not appeared in the Muppet-themed films or TV series that have been produced since then, including 2011’s The Muppets and 2014’s Muppets Most Wanted.
Disney entered negotiations to buy the rights to The Muppets in the late 1980s, eventually acquiring the Muppets from the Hensons in 2004.