Where Are They Now? ‘The Muppets Take Manhattan’

The Muppets Take Manhattan took over cinemas 30 years ago this weekend. The film boasts wonderful musical numbers, sharp humor and tons of heart. Naturally, it became an instant family classic.

But where are the Muppets now? We’re here to catch you up to speed on what the stars of The Muppets Take Manhattan have been up to in the last three decades. (Spoiler: they all look like they haven’t aged a day!)

Kermit the Frog

At some point over the last 30 years, Kermit the Frog retired from show business, which scattered the Muppets all over the country. Muppet super fans Gary and Walter convinced Kermit to get the group back together in The Muppets to try to save Muppet Studios from an evil oil tycoon. The gang prevailed, only to find themselves preyed upon by conman named Dominic Badguy. As it turned out, Kermit bore an uncanny resemblance to a criminal mastermind named Constantine. Badguy helped Constantine take Kermit’s place and Kermit was sent to languish in a Russian gulag. Luckily, Animal, Fozzie and Walter figured out what was what, and the gang came to rescue him.

Miss Piggy

Even though it appears that Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy were married by a real minister at the end of The Muppets Take Manhattan, subsequent films and television specials suggest the marriage was not legally recognized by the state of New York. Piggy laments in the more recent Muppet movies that they are not wed. In fact, Constantine preys upon her need for love and attention and plans a lavish wedding at the Tower of London. Kermit and Piggy have since been reunited, though there is no proof they are married. Professionally, Piggy became a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue during the Muppets’ hiatus and now has returned to the stage.

Fozzie Bear

Over the last 30 years, Fozzie Bear has maintained a close friendship with Kermit and the rest of the Muppets. He even invited them all home for Christmas in The Muppet Family Christmas. However, after Kermit retired, Fozzie was forced to take his comedy on the road and briefly performed with a sad Muppet knock-off group called The Moopets. Kermit pulled him away from this and they saved Muppet studios. Later, Fozzie didn’t notice when Kermit was replaced by the evil Constantine until it was almost too late. Then he, Animal and Walter traveled on foot across the globe to save Kermit from his fate in the Russian gulag.

Gonzo the Great

Since The Muppets Take Manhattan, Gonzo has had many adventures. He reconnected with his family and discovered that he’s an alien, became Charles Dickens, and built a plumbing empire. He gave his plumbing business up, though, in The Muppets, and rejoined the group. He continues to work on his stunt craft.

Rowlf The Dog

Rowlf continues to play piano better than any dog alive, including this one. He didn’t appear in the opening montage of The Muppets because he fell asleep. That’s about all. He’s just a chill dude.

Scooter

Scooter has come a long way since ushering at that movie theater in Cleveland, Ohio. He briefly worked at Google before rejoining the group in The Muppets. He now holds a sort of middle management role amongst the group and fills in for Kermit on certain jobs.

Camilla the Chicken

When last we saw Camilla, she was Gonzo’s bona fide chick. She and he briefly performed in a water show where she and some more chickens imitated Barry Manilow singing the William Tell Overture. Since then, she and Gonzo have remained tight. While she only had a scant amount of screen time in Muppets Most Wanted, she did arguably steal the show in The Muppets, with her standout performance of “Cluck You.”

Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem

The Muppets’ go-to backing band is back with the original crew! We last saw them all inMuppets Most Wanted as they traveled the world performing to sell-out crowds. Animal was the first muppet to recognize that Kermit had been replaced by an impostor.

Rizzo the Rat

After The Muppets Take Manhattan, Rizzo developed a close bond with Gonzo. The two shared the narration in The Muppets Christmas Carol and were tight in subsequent films. However, Rizzo had no lines of dialogue in The Muppets. It was so dire, he complained about it inMuppets Most Wanted. Time will tell if he will reclaim his former glory as a comic voice in the Muppets.

Muppet Babies

After making their adorable debut in The Muppets Take Manhattan, the Muppet Babies decided to capitalize on their popularity and branched off into a successful animated series. They have not been seen onscreen in recent years, but that’s because they are now the adult versions of the Muppets. So, we’ve been talking about them this whole time.

The Muppets Take Manhattan turns 30 on July 13. You can stream it on Netflix.