The Muppets are enjoying a fresh surge of popularity, buoyed by six Emmy nominations for Disney+'s revival of "The Muppet Show", an appearance at the FIFA World Cup Final halftime show, and the opening of a new theme park ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Variety's Michael Schneider argues this renewed visibility matters because the franchise has cycled repeatedly between hits and misses since Jim Henson's death, and he hopes this latest "moment" signals a lasting comeback rather than another brief revival.

The Emmy nominations include one for variety special (pre-recorded), while the World Cup halftime performance saw the Muppets share the stage with Madonna, BTS and Justin Bieber. Producers Eric Jacobson and Leigh Slaughter say the franchise has strong momentum, though the article traces a chequered history since 2011, including a well-received film, a poorly received sequel, an unsuccessful 2015 ABC series, a scrapped Disney+ limited series, and the short-lived "Muppets Now". Disney fully acquired the Muppets in 2004, excluding the "Sesame Street" characters, which went to Sesame Workshop.