The legendary Jim Henson changed the face of puppeteering forever. Now, the “Sesame Street” and “The Muppet Show” icon is at the center of Academy Award winner Ron Howard‘s latest documentary, “Jim Henson Idea Man.”
Howard helms the Disney+ original documentary that takes audiences into the mind of Henson’s singular creative vision. The film charts his early years puppeteering on local television to the worldwide success of “Sesame Street,” “The Muppet Show,” and beyond. Featuring unprecedented access to Jim’s personal archives, director Howard brings us a fascinating and insightful look at a complex man whose boundless imagination inspired the world.
The original documentary from Disney Branded Television, is produced by Howard’s Imagine Documentaries. Howard also serves as a producer alongside Brian Grazer, Sara Bernstein, Margaret Bodde, Justin Wilkes, Mark Monroe, and Christopher St. John.
Paul Crowder, Meredith Kaulfers, and Michael Rosenberg serve as executive producers.
IndieWire is hosting a special screening of “Jim Henson Idea Man” as part of the brand’s newly-launched “Pass the Remote” FYC TV screening series. Produced in partnership with Disney, the program will begin April 25 and continue through the end of May, featuring interviews with Disney talent.
“Jim Henson Idea Man” director Howard will be in conversation with IndieWire’s Editor in Chief Dana Harris-Bridson, along with “Idea Man” executive producers Justin Wilkes and Sara Bernstein, composer Paul Crowder, and editor David Fleming. Learn more and register for an invite here.
While Howard’s Imagine Entertainment banner has inked a new, multiyear first-look film deal with Amazon Studios, “Jim Henson Idea Man” landed at Disney.
In the narrative space, Howard is producing an upcoming series on Siegfried & Roy performers Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn, which is set for Apple TV+. The yet-untitled half-hour biographical series will be told from various perspectives and document the story of Siegfried and Roy‘s star-making act in Las Vegas. “Only Murders in the Building” co-creator John Hoffman is writing and executive producing the series, with Howard and Brian Grazer of Imagine Television also serving as executive producers. The Apple TV+ series is based on the eight-part podcast “Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy,” released in January 2022.
“Jim Henson Idea Man” premieres May 31 on Disney+. Check out the trailer below.
