''Jim Henson Idea Man'' is a 2024 American

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

directed by

Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. Howard started his career as a child actor before transitioning to directing films. Over his six-decade career, Howard has received List of awards and nominations r ...

, about puppeteer

Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, actor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well known for creating ''Fraggle Rock'' ( ...

. It premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, in the ''Cannes Classics'' sections on May 18, 2024. It premiered on

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

worldwide on May 31, 2024.

Summary

The film chronicles Henson's life, from the early years of his career to the creation of properties like ''

The Muppets The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an surreal humor, absurdist, slapstick, burlesque, and self-referential humor, self-referential style of Musical theatre, musical Variety show, variety-sketch comedy. Cre ...

'', ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational television, educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Worksh ...

'', and ''

The Dark Crystal ''The Dark Crystal'' is a 1982 dark fantasy, dark fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. It stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell (actress), Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, and Barry Dennen. The film was prod ...

'', and also focuses on his creative and romantic partnership with his wife

Jane Henson Jane Ann Henson (née Nebel; June 16, 1934 – April 2, 2013) was an American puppeteer and co-founder of Muppets, Inc. with her husband Jim Henson. Early life Jane Ann Nebel was born and raised in St. Albans, Queens. She met Jim Henson when ...

. The film features interviews with family members and collaborators of Jim Henson, including

Frank Oz Frank Richard Oznowicz (born May 25, 1944), known professionally as Frank Oz, is an American puppeteer, filmmaker and actor. He is best known for his involvement with Jim Henson and George Lucas through ''The Muppets'', ''Sesame Street'', and '' ...

Production

A biographical feature film based on

's life, known as ''Muppet Man'', had been in development at

Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...

and

The Jim Henson Company The Jim Henson Company, Inc., formerly known as Muppets, Inc., Henson Associates, Inc., and Jim Henson Productions, Inc. (commonly referred to as Henson), is an American entertainment company located in Los Angeles, California. The company is kn ...

since 2010. The project was based on a

spec script A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned and unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or ...

written by Christopher Weekes, which had topped the 2009

Black List Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list; if people are on a blacklist, then they are considere ...

. In April 2021, it was reported that

Michael Mitnick Michael Mitnick (born September 7, 1983) is an American playwright and screenwriter. Early life Mitnick grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Fox Chapel Area High School, a public school in the Allegheny Valley. His father is a profe ...

was hired to rewrite the screenplay, previously written by

Aaron and Jordan Kandell Aaron and Jordan Kandell (both born June 16, 1982) are identical twin American screenwriters and journalists. They were born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, and studied film and creative writing at the University of Southern California. They have w ...

Lisa Henson Lisa Marie Henson (born May 9, 1960) is an American television and film producer who has been involved in television shows such as ''Sid the Science Kid''. She is the CEO of The Jim Henson Company, founded by her parents Jim Henson, Jim and Jan ...

would serve as producer. In March 2022, another attempt to adapt Henson's life, as a then-untitled ''Jim Henson Idea Man'', was announced, stating Ron Howard and

Brian Grazer Brian Thomas Grazer (born July 12, 1951) is an American film and television producer. He founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. The films they produced have grossed over $15 billion. Grazer was personally nominated for four Acad ...

Imagine Entertainment Imagine Entertainment, formerly Imagine Films Entertainment, also known simply as Imagine (stylized in all caps as IMAGINE), is an American film and television production company founded in November 1985 by producer Brian Grazer and director Ron ...

was partnering with Disney+ on a documentary "with the full participation and cooperation of the Henson family". The film's title, as well as its scheduled release date of May 31, 2024, on Disney+, were officially announced on April 11, 2024.

Reception

Critical response

Michael Nordine of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' felt ''Idea Man'' is a conventional documentary "whose feel-good charms are undercut only slightly by its adherence to the tried-and-true nonfiction formula ... If it's easy to wish ''Idea Man'' were as bold as its subject, though, it's just as easy to be won over by this deservedly heartfelt tribute to him." Matthew Carey of ''

Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. It is updated several times a day, with en ...

'' reflected on the prior documentaries made about Henson's life and career, but felt " onHoward brings fresh energy to the subject through the skillful use of animations based on Henson's impressive drawings and wonderful archival rarities that go beyond what has been seen in previous treatments of Henson's life." For ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'', Daniel Feinberg wrote ''Idea Man'' "delivers less perspective on Henson's personality and motivations than sheer evidence of his drive. That's fine, and the documentary is fine. Anybody with affection for Henson and his work will get the requisite laughs, nostalgia and probably emotions from the footage Howard assembled here." Kate Erbland of '' Indiewire'' graded the film a B+, writing despite the star-studded interview appearances, "Howard leans into honesty. The film is so much better for it, even as it can't quite capture the full magic and scope of Henson's life and work."

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{Sesame Street 2024 documentary films 2024 films 2020s American films 2020s English-language films Disney documentary films Disney+ original films Documentary films about film directors and producers Documentary films about entertainers Documentary films about television people Films directed by Ron Howard Films produced by Ron Howard Films produced by Brian Grazer Films produced by Lisa Henson Films scored by David Fleming (composer) Imagine Entertainment films Jim Henson Primetime Emmy Award–winning broadcasts Walt Disney Pictures films