Months after a successful return for the Muppets, Disney has abandoned plans to bring them back for a full series.The February special revived the classic Muppet Show format, with Kermit (now voiced by Matt Vogel), Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and the gang putting on a show in the Muppet Theatre. Sabrina Carpenter served as the featured guest star, with additional appearances from Seth Rogen (who also served as an executive producer) and Maya Rudolph.Credit: DisneyRELATED: Disney Pulls ‘The Muppets’ Addition From Hollywood Studios With Immediate EffectThe comeback was an undeniable hit. Disney said The Muppets Show reached 7.58 million viewers across ABC and Disney+ within eight days, while the wider Muppets catalog surpassed 125 million viewing hours. It later won four Emmys, including Outstanding Variety Special (beating out a Wicked special and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour | The Final Show), as well as awards for writing, production design, and editing.But while many fans considered a full-series pickup inevitable, it seems like this will no longer be the case.Disney Abandons Plans for Full Muppets SeriesDespite the special’s strong performance, Disney still has not ordered a full season, with efforts to expand the revival reportedly running into creative problems behind the scenes.According to Deadline, the main issue has been “difficulties cracking a premise” that works for everyone involved. The project brings together 20th Television, The Muppets Studio, and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Point Grey Pictures, which helped produce the February special.Credit: DisneyRELATED: Total Mayhem! Disney Teases Muppet Takeover of Classic Disney World AttractionsRogen recently celebrated the special’s success at the Emmys on Instagram, writing, “I couldn’t be more proud to have been able to help bring this to life and I’m so thrilled our amazing team of writers, editors and production designers were recognized for their work.”Regardless, Point Grey has reportedly remained keen to continue the revival, but the companies have yet to settle on exactly what a full series should look like. That leaves the Muppets without a follow-up order despite the special effectively proving there is still an audience for the franchise.The special already returned to the format most closely associated with the characters. Like the original Muppet Show, it centered on Kermit and the gang attempting to stage a variety show while dealing with backstage chaos and celebrity guests.For now, though, that successful return will remain a standalone special, with “no active series conversations” at this time, as per a source.Credit: DisneyFans Furious Over Muppets NewsThe news has left some fans perplexed – especially regarding the supposed conflict over the format.“The premise for the series is the same premise you just did and the premise Jim Henson did in 1974,” one fan wrote on X. “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT.”Another wrote, “Why are they overcomplicating a premise when jim henson literally gave them the perfect formula 50 years ago??”One said, “What kind of excuse is this? It’s Muppets putting on a stage show and having celebrity guests. Throw in Chappell Roan and Josh Gad and you got your show.”The premise for the series is the same premise you just did and the premise Jim Henson did in 1974 WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT https://t.co/OaMCcPnIJr— Offhand Disney (@OffhandDisney) September 10, 2026RELATED: The Muppets Make Surprise Return to Disney WorldSimilarly, another fan added, “This is actually so heartbreaking for anyone who has been waiting years for a proper Muppets comeback. Why do major studios always overcomplicate simple nostalgia projects? Y’all skipped the actual creative roadblocks and went straight to blaming Disney executives.”The Muppets’ last full television series was The Muppets Mayhem, which debuted on Disney+ in May 2023. The 10-episode comedy focused on Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem as they attempted to record their first studio album, with Lilly Singh starring as the music executive tasked with managing the band.Despite positive fan and critical response, Disney+ canceled The Muppets Mayhem after one season that November. The show earned six Emmy nominations and its accompanying Electric Mayhem album reached No. 1 on Billboard, but Disney never disclosed its streaming figures, and the series did not appear in Nielsen’s top 10 streaming rankings.Credit: DisneyRELATED: ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ Limited Theatrical Project Confirmed for Winter 2026That was only the latest in a long line of attempts to bring the characters back to television. The original Muppet Show ran from 1976 to 1981, while Muppets Tonight followed in the 1990s. ABC later launched The Muppets in 2015, but that mockumentary-style series – often compared to The Office – was also canceled after one season.The franchise has found more lasting success elsewhere. In May 2026, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, replacing the ride’s Aerosmith theme with Electric Mayhem. The overhaul gave the Muppets a major new permanent presence at Walt Disney World Resort (while also quelling some fans still furious over the closure of Muppet*Vision 3D).Are you surprised Disney isn’t greenlighting another Muppets series?The post Disney Axes Plans for New ‘Muppets’ Series Due To Ongoing “Difficulties” appeared first on Inside the Magic.