''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' is a 2005

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

directed by Kirk R. Thatcher. It is the second film to be made for television in ''The Muppets'' franchise. The film stars Ashanti,

Jeffrey Tambor Jeffrey Michael Tambor (born July 8, 1944) is an American actor. He is known for his television roles such as Jeffrey Brookes, the uptight neighbor of Stanley and Helen Roper in the television sitcom ''The Ropers'' (1979–1980), as Hank Kings ...

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...

David Alan Grier David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1956) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work as Bernard on '' Damon'' (1998), as David Bellows on ''Life with Bonnie'' (2002–2004), as Joe Carmichael on ''The Carmichael Show'' (2015� ...

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...

Steve Whitmire Steven Lawrence Whitmire (born September 24, 1959) is an American puppeteer, known primarily for his work on ''The Muppets'' and ''Sesame Street''. Beginning his involvement with the Muppets in 1978, Whitmire inherited the roles of Ernie and Kerm ...

Dave Goelz David Charles Goelz (; born July 16, 1946) is an American puppeteer and puppet builder known for his work with the Muppets. As part of the Muppets' performing cast, Goelz performs Gonzo the Great, as well as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Waldorf (after ...

Bill Barretta William Paul Barretta (born June 19, 1964) is an American puppeteer, actor, producer, writer, and director, who is best known for providing the puppetry and voice of characters such as Pepe the King Prawn, Johnny Fiama, Big Mean Carl, and Bobo ...

, and

Eric Jacobson Eric Jacobson is an American puppeteer. He is best known for performing Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle for The Muppets Studio, as well as ''Sesame Street'' characters Bert, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, and Guy Smiley—all role ...

. A contemporary adaptation of the 1900 novel ''

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' is a children's novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. It is the first novel in the Oz series of books. A Kansas farm girl named Dorothy ends up in the magical Land of Oz after s ...

'' by

L. Frank Baum Lyman Frank Baum (; May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author best known for his children's books, particularly ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the ''Oz'' series, plus 41 other novels (not includ ...

, the story follows young

Dorothy Gale Dorothy Gale is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum as the protagonist in many of his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's classic 1900 children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and reappears in most of its ...

, who works in her

Aunt Em Aunt Em is a fictional character from the Oz books. Jack Snow, ''Who's Who in Oz'', Chicago, Reilly & Lee, 1954; New York, Peter Bedrick Books, 1988; p. 10. She is the aunt of Dorothy Gale and wife of Uncle Henry, and lives together with them on ...

's diner, but dreams of becoming a singer somewhere beyond her small

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

town. Swept up by a tornado, in her trailer home with pet prawn Toto, she lands in Oz and embarks on a journey to meet the Wizard who can help make her dreams come true. Right after

The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

bought the rights to the Muppets franchise in 2004, pre-production took place throughout February 2004, and

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...

began seven months later.

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

made several changes after the initial script was written, ultimately deciding to adapt plot elements from Baum's original novel rather than the 1939

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

musical film '' The Wizard of Oz'' (since the original 1939 film currently owned by

Warner Bros. Discovery Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at 230 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was formed after the spin-off of WarnerMedia by AT&T, and its merger with Di ...

). ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' became a musical, and included five new songs written and composed by

Michael Giacchino Michael Giacchino (; born October 10, 1967) is an American composer of music for films, television and video games. He has also served as a director for television. He has received many awards, including an Oscar for his work on '' Up'' (2009), ...

. It is the first Muppets film without the involvement of veteran performer

Jerry Nelson Jerry L. Nelson (July 10, 1934 – August 23, 2012) was an American puppeteer, best known for his work with The Muppets. Renowned for his wide range of characters and singing abilities, he performed Muppet characters on ''Sesame Street'', ' ...

following his 2004 retirement from physical performing. His characters of Lew Zealand and Floyd Pepper were respectively performed by

and John Kennedy. Barretta also debuts as the new permanent performer of Dr. Teeth, a character originally performed by

Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...

. The production also marked the feature film debut of

as the performer of Sam Eagle, a character originally performed by

Frank Oz Frank Oz (born Frank Richard Oznowicz; May 25, 1944) is an American actor, puppeteer, and filmmaker. He began his career as a puppeteer, performing the Muppet characters of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle in ''The Muppet Show ...

. ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' premiered on April 27, 2005 at the

Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by TriBeCa Productions, Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive progra ...

, and made its television premiere on ABC on May 20, 2005, as the final ''

ABC Movie of the Week ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

''. The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics, who felt that the film was too mature for young audiences and that the cameos and popular culture references were unnecessary.

Plot

is an orphaned teenage girl living in a trailer park in

with her

and

Uncle Henry Uncle Henry is a fictional character from The Oz Books by L. Frank Baum.Jack Snow (writer), Jack Snow, ''Who's Who in Oz'', Chicago, Reilly & Lee, 1954; New York, Peter Bedrick Books, 1988; p. 227. He is the uncle of Dorothy Gale and husband of A ...

. Her dream of becoming a singer is slim, but when she overhears that the Muppets are looking for a backup singer, Dorothy hurries to the audition and gives them a demo CD. In returning home, the

civil defense siren A civil defense siren, also known as an air-raid siren or tornado siren, is a siren used to provide an emergency population warning to the general population of approaching danger. It is sometimes sounded again to indicate the danger has pas ...

s sound as a

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...

is headed for Dorothy's trailer park. When Aunt Em and Uncle Henry run into the county storm shelter for safety, Dorothy hurries back to her family's mobile home to get Toto, her pet

prawn Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs (which is a member of the order decapoda), some of which can be eaten. The term "prawn"Mortenson, Philip B (2010''This is not a weasel: a close look at nature ...

. She does not make it out in time, and the two are swept by the tornado across the vast fields of Kansas. When Dorothy climbs out of the wreckage, she finds that Toto can talk and that she is in

Munchkinland Munchkin Country or Munchkinland, as it is referred to in the famous MGM musical film version, is the fictional eastern region of the Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900). Munchkin Cou ...

, part of the vast

Land of Oz The Land of Oz is a magical country introduced in the 1900 children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Oz consists of four vast quadrants, the Gillikin Country in the north, Quadli ...

. The Munchkins inform Dorothy that the land's ruler the Wizard, has the power to grant her wish of becoming a famous singer. She meets the Good Witch of the North and receives a pair of magic silver slippers from the

Wicked Witch of the East The Wicked Witch of the East is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is a crucial character but appears only briefly in Baum's classic children's series of List of Oz books, ''Oz'' novels, most notably ''The Won ...

, who was killed when Dorothy's trailer fell on her. Dorothy and Toto embark on a journey on the

yellow brick road The yellow brick road is a fictional element in the 1900 children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by American author L. Frank Baum. The road also appears in the several sequel Oz books such as ''The Marvelous Land of Oz'' (1904) and ''The ...

to meet the Wizard of Oz. On her journey, she meets a

Scarecrow A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin, often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.Lesley ...

, a Tin Thing, and a

Cowardly Lion The Cowardly Lion is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. He is depicted as an African lion, but like all animals in Oz, he can speak. Since lions are supposed to be "The Kings of Beasts," the Cowardly ...

. They are also seeking the Wizard of Oz to give them a brain, heart, and courage, respectively. The group meets various obstacles before arriving at the Emerald City and meeting the Wizard. Before he grants their wishes, the Wizard sends Dorothy and her friends to retrieve the

Wicked Witch of the West The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character who appears in the classic children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900), created by American author L. Frank Baum. In Baum's subsequent ''Oz'' novels, it is the Nome King who is ...

's magic eye, a tool she uses to see anything she desires in the Land of Oz. The Wicked Witch of the West sees them coming and sends the Flying Monkeys to deal with them. The Witch and the Flying Monkeys capture Dorothy, Toto and Lion while Scarecrow and Tin Thing are dismantled. Toto calls the Munchkins, who set him and Dorothy free and hold up the witch. Dorothy kicks the witch into her own "bottled water bath," which contains tap water (to which she is severely allergic). This causes the Wicked Witch of the West to melt. Dorothy finds the magic eye floating in the tub unharmed and grabs it. Dorothy gains control of the Flying Monkeys and has them rebuild Scarecrow and Tin Thing. Then she and her friends travel back to the Emerald City to have their wishes granted. When they all storm into the Wizard's room, they discover it is merely a Hollywood effects stage and that the Wizard is just an ordinary man. He asked for the witch's eye so that she could not see him for who he really was. Even so, he still proceeds to grant their wishes. Dorothy finally becomes a singer in the Land of Oz, but realizes that all she ever really wanted was to go back home and be with her family. After traveling back to Munchkinland, she meets

Glinda the Good Witch of the South Glinda is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum for his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's 1900 children's classic ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', and is the most powerful Magician (fantasy), sorceress in the Land of Oz, ruler o ...

, who tells her that by clicking her heels together three times, she will be able to go anywhere she desires. Saying "take me home to Aunt Em", Dorothy is spun by the slippers' magic into Kansas and finds out that she has been chosen to sing with the Muppets.

Cast

* Ashanti as

: A

teen dreaming of leaving her home and becoming a singer. *

: Dorothy's aunt and co-owner of the family diner in Kansas. *

: Dorothy's uncle and co-owner of the family diner. *

as The Wizard of Oz: The legendary Wizard of Oz. This is Tambor's second appearance in a ''Muppet'' film, the first being ''

Muppets from Space ''Muppets from Space'' is a 1999 American science-fiction film, science-fiction comedy film directed by Tim Hill (director), Tim Hill (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut) and written by Jerry Juhl, Joey Mazzarino, Jo ...

''. *

as himself: In a short appearance with

Kermit the Frog Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Introduced in 1955, Kermit serves as the everyman protagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably ''Sesame Street'' and ''The Muppet Show'', as well ...

, Tarantino discusses violent ideas on how to stop the

. ;Extended version: *

Kelly Osbourne Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne (born 27 October 1984) is an English television personality, singer, actress, model, and fashion designer. The daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, she appeared on the reality show ''The Osbournes'' (2002–2005) w ...

as post-makeover Dorothy Gale: Appears in a brief cameo as Dorothy when she first comes out of the ''Magic Makeover Machine'' in

Emerald City The Emerald City (sometimes called the City of Emeralds) is the capital city of the fictional Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900). Fictional description Located in the center of the La ...

Muppets performers

as: **

as Himself/

: A scarecrow in search of a brain. Scarecrow is constantly mocked by the crows in Oz, as he is defenseless and cannot do anything to stop them. Prior to Dorothy's journey, Kermit organizes a talent scout for a star for a new show. After her return, he hires her. ** Beaker: He appears as an Emerald City Technician. Beaker also appears at the end in the Muppets' show. **

Rizzo the Rat Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet character, created and originally performed by Steve Whitmire. He is a fictional rat who appeared on '' The Muppet Show'' and numerous films, with a starring role in the 1992 film '' The Muppet Christmas Carol''. The ch ...

as Himself/Mayor of Munchkinland. He occasionally aids Dorothy when she is in danger. Prior to Dorothy's journey, Rizzo is seen assisting Bean Bunny in loading equipment into the Muppets' bus. He returns for the Muppets' show in the climax. ** Bean Bunny: Prior to Dorothy's journey, Bean Bunny is seen assisting

in loading equipment into the Muppets' bus. ** Statler as Kalidah Critic #1. He heckles Dorothy and her friends as they try to cross a log. *

as: **

The Great Gonzo Gonzo, also known as The Great Gonzo or Gonzo the Great, is a Muppet. Aside from his trademark enthusiasm for performance art, another defining trait of Gonzo is the ambiguity of his species, which has become a running gag in the franchise. He has ...

as Himself/ The Tin Thing: A robot in search of a heart. Originally human, the Tin Thing was turned into a robot by the Wicked Witch of the West who was angry at him for asking to leave her palace and marry his

fiancée An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...

, Camilla the Chicken. He also appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' show. **

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is a Muppet character from ''The Muppet Show'', performed by Dave Goelz. He is a bald, yellow-skinned, bespectacled, lab-coated scientist who presented periodic science segments from "Muppet Labs, where the future is being mad ...

: He appears as an Emerald City Technician. He also appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' show. ** Waldorf as Kalidah Critic #2. He and the other Kalidah Critic heckle Dorothy and her friends as they try to cross a log. ** Zoot: He performs backup for the songs "Naptime", and for "The Witch is in the House", and appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' new show. *

as: **

Pepé the King Prawn Pepino Rodrigo Serrano Gonzales, better known as Pepe the King Prawn, is a Muppet character created for ''Muppets Tonight'' and performed by Bill Barretta, originally as part of a vaudeville double act with Seymour the Elephant. Overview Pepe i ...

as Toto: Dorothy's pet prawn and first companion on her journey. In Kansas, Toto was a prawn that lived in a fish bowl in Dorothy's room. ** Dr. Teeth: He performs "Naptime", and also performs in "The Witch is in the House". He appears again at the end of the film in the Muppets' show. **

Johnny Fiama The Muppets are an ensemble group of comedic puppet characters originally created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. The majority of the characters listed ...

: He appears as one of the henchmen of the Wicked Witch of the West, and is supposedly her love interest. ** Lew Zealand: He briefly appears in Emerald City at the red carpet event, asking Dorothy to sign his boomerang fish. **

The Swedish Chef The Swedish Chef is a Muppet character that appeared on ''The Muppet Show''. He was originally performed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously, with Henson performing the head and voice and Oz performing the character with real hands. The S ...

: He provides the Bran Flakes for the Wizard. ** Bubba the Rat: He assists the Mayor of Munchkin Land in getting Dorothy and the Lion out of Poppyfields. *

as: **

Miss Piggy Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases in ...

as herself: She appears early on with Kermit, and tries to get rid of Dorothy. She returns at the end of the film for the Muppets' show. She also appears as: *** The

: The Wicked Witch that terrifies all that meet her. *** Tattypoo the Good Witch of the North: The Good Witch that gives Dorothy the silver slippers. ***

: The other Good Witch that shows Dorothy how to get home. *** The

: The original owner of the magic slippers who was killed by Dorothy's falling mobile home. **

Fozzie Bear Fozzie Bear is a Muppet character best known as the insecure and comedically fruitless stand-up comic on ''The Muppet Show.'' Fozzie is an orange-brown bear who often wears a brown pork pie hat and a pink and white polka dot necktie. The char ...

as Himself/ Cowardly Bear: A nervous and frightened lion stand-up comic that accompanies Dorothy and the others on their journey. Fozzie shows up at the end of the film in the Muppets' show. **

Animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

: He performs in the songs "Naptime" and "The Witch is in the House", and appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' new show. ** Sam Eagle: He appears as the Guardian of the Gates. *

Brian Henson Brian Henson (born November 3, 1963) is an American puppeteer, director, producer, voice actor and the chairman of The Jim Henson Company. He is the son of puppeteers Jim and Jane Henson. Early life Henson was born on November 3, 1963, in New ...

as: ** Sal Manilla as Sal, a

Flying Monkey Winged monkeys are fictional characters created by American author L. Frank Baum in his children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900). They are jungle monkeys with bird-like feathered wings. They are most notably remembered from the fam ...

: He accompanies Johnny for much of the film. *

Kevin Clash Kevin Jeffrey Clash (born September 17, 1960) is an American puppeteer, director and producer known for puppeteering Elmo on ''Sesame Street'' from 1984 to 2012. He also performed puppets for ''Labyrinth'', '' Dinosaurs'', '' Oobi'', and various ...

as: ** Clifford: He appears as the manager of the Poppy Field Club. ** Mulch: He appears briefly in Poppyfields. ** Black Dog as a

* John Kennedy as: ** Angel Marie as a

: A servant of the Wicked Witch of the West. ** Floyd Pepper: He performs in "Naptime" and "The Witch is in the House", and appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' new show. * Rickey Boyd as: ** Scooter: He appears as the Wizard's Assistant. **

Crazy Harry The Muppets are an ensemble group of comedic puppet characters originally created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. The majority of the characters listed ...

as a

Tyler Bunch Tyler Bunch, also known as H.D. Quinn, is an American puppeteer, puppet designer, director, and actor. Career In addition to his work for the Jim Henson Company, Bunch has created and performed puppets for PBS, Nickelodeon and Disney's Th ...

as: **

Janice Janice may refer to: * Janice (given name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) * ''Janice & Abbey'', a reality TV series * Processor codename of the Samsung Galaxy S Advance Android smartphone * Janice, Łódź Voivodes ...

: She performs in "Naptime" and "The Witch is in the House", and appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' new show. ** Old Tom as a

Julianne Buescher Julianne Buescher (born February 4, 1965) is an American actress, writer, and puppeteer who performs in film, television, radio, and on stage. As a voice actress, she is known for many roles including Anko Mitarashi on ''Naruto''. She hails fro ...

as ** Wizard's Green Lady and Chicken Forms * John Henson as ** Sweetums as a

: He provides the keys for the Cowardly Lion's escape from his cage. * Mike Quinn as ** Spotted Dick as a

Allan Trautman Allan Trautman (born May 25, 1955) is an American puppeteer, best known for his work with The Jim Henson Company. Early life He is originally from Brooklyn, New York. Trautman has a B.A. in Physics and Drama from Washington University in St. Lo ...

as **

Crow A crow is a bird of the genus ''Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientifical ...

: He bothers the Scarecrow. ** Calico as a

Drew Massey Drew Massey (born April 4, 1972) is an American voice actor, puppeteer and director for Nickelodeon and the Jim Henson Company. He has worked extensively with the Muppets and has performed in many films, television series, and commercials. He h ...

as ** Aretha as a

Alice Dinnean Alice Catherine Dinnean (born May 23, 1969) is an American puppeteer, voice actress and creative writer who works at The Jim Henson Company. Dinnean has performed on many children's television shows such as ''The Puzzle Place'', ''Sesame Street ...

as: ** Camilla the Chicken: The Tin Thing's girlfriend. The two are reunited later on in the film. ** Foo-Foo: Foo-Foo appears as the pet of the Wicked Witch of the West. In addition, Whitmire and Goelz make on-screen cameos as audience members at Aunt Em's Diner during the finale.

Production

When

acquired the Muppets franchise from

The Jim Henson Company The Jim Henson Company (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 known for ...

in February 2004,"''The Muppets'' at the Jim Henson Company."

. Retrieved: April 26, 2008."Tarantino to star in Muppets film,"
''

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...

'', August 27, 2004, Retrieved: April 26, 2008. the Muppets were re-introduced to the public by marketing products and guest appearing on television shows such as ''

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...

'' and ''

America's Funniest Home Videos ''America's Funniest Home Videos'', also called ''America's Funniest Videos'' (abbreviated as ''AFV''), is an American video clip television series on American Broadcasting Company, ABC, based on the Japanese variety show ''Kato-chan Ken-chan Gok ...

''. After a new film titled ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' was announced by

Fox Television Studios The second incarnation of Touchstone Television (formerly known as Fox 21 Television Studios) was an American television production company that is a subsidiary of Disney Media Networks' Walt Disney Television owned by The Walt Disney Company. It ...

Touchstone Television The second incarnation of Touchstone Television (formerly known as Fox 21 Television Studios) was an American television production company that is a subsidiary of Disney Media Networks' Walt Disney Television owned by The Walt Disney Company. It ...

, and the

Muppets Holding Company The Muppets Studio, LLC, formerly The Muppets Holding Company, LLC, is a wholly owned entertainment subsidiary of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, formed in 2004 through The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of ''The Muppets'' and ''Bear i ...

signed on to help produce it.Gates, Anita
"Muppets as Munchkins: We're Not in Kansas Anymore."
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', May 20, 2005, p. E26. Retrieved: March 11, 2008. This was the last Muppets production to be produced by the Jim Henson Company once Disney purchased the rights to the Muppets franchise. Filming took place throughout September 2004 in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

. Before filming, ABC announced that the production would adapt elements from the original 1900 book, rather than the 1939 film.Adalian, Josef
"The Muppets ready to take Oz."
''

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), ...

'', March 15, 2004. Retrieved: April 26, 2008. such as the

Silver Shoes The Silver Shoes are the magical shoes that appear in L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' as heroine Dorothy Gale's transport home. They are originally owned by the Wicked Witch of the East but passed to Dorothy when her ho ...

instead of the

Ruby slippers The ruby slippers are the magic pair of shoes worn by Dorothy Gale as played by Judy Garland in the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film '' The Wizard of Oz''. Because of their iconic stature, the ruby slippers are among the most valuable items ...

. On August 25, 2004, it was announced that

Hilary Duff Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including seven Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, four Teen Choice Awards and two Young Artist Awards. She began her act ...

Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' Swe ...

, and Ashanti had auditioned for the role of

, but Ashanti had won the part. When asked about how she felt about working with the Muppets, Ashanti replied, "I love children, and to me, the Muppets are just like little kids."Fonseca, Nicholas
"Wizard of Frog."
''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'', Issue 820, p. 66, May 20, 2005. Retrieved: April 26, 2008. She also stated, "The director had to give me a few pointers and tips for acting with them, but the most important thing that I learned was to keep eye contact." Also in August 2004,

reported that

would appear in the film.

Music

, who had previously worked on the video game '' Muppet Monster Adventure'', would become an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning composer. Giacchino worked alongside Jeannie Lurie, Adam Cohen, Debra Frank and Steve L. Hayes to write five original songs for the film: "Kansas", "When I'm with You", "The Witch is in the House", "Nap Time" and "Good Life". "When I'm with You" was nominated for a

Primetime Emmy The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

in the Outstanding Music and Lyrics category,"''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' nominated for Primetime Emmy."

Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

. Retrieved: March 27, 2008. but lost to "Mary Jane/Mary Lane" from ''

Reefer Madness ''Reefer Madness'' (originally made as ''Tell Your Children'' and sometimes titled ''The Burning Question'', ''Dope Addict'', ''Doped Youth'', and ''Love Madness'') is a 1936 American propaganda film about drugs, revolving around the melodramat ...

''. Ashanti and the Muppet cast, mainly Barretta and Jacobson, contributed the vocals for each of the songs. Ted Kryczko produced the album, Booker T. Washington White prepared the songs for recording, and Paul Silveira and Brandon Christy mixed the songs.

Soundtrack

''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' official soundtrack was released on May 17, 2005."''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' Soundtrack."
''

Amazon.com Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential economi ...

'', 2005. Retrieved: March 4, 2008. The album was an enhanced soundtrack titled ''Best of Muppets featuring The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' as it was not a film-specific soundtrack, but an album featuring the Muppets' best songs from ''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...

'' as well as songs from the film. Track listing # "''(Gotta Get Outta)'' Kansas" - Ashanti # "When I'm With You" – Ashanti, Kermit, Gonzo, Fozzie & Pepe # "The Witch Is in the House" –

with Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem # "Calling All Munchkins" – The Munchkin Tap-Your-Knuckles Choir # "Good Life" – Ashanti # "Nap Time" – Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem # " The Muppet Show Theme" – The Muppets # "

Mah Nà Mah Nà "Mah Nà Mah Nà" is a popular song by Italian composer Piero Umiliani. It originally appeared in the Italian film '' Sweden: Heaven and Hell'' (''Svezia, inferno e paradiso''). It was a minor radio hit in the United States and in Britain, but be ...

" – Mahna Mahna & the Two Snowths # "

Bein' Green "Bein' Green" (also known as "It's Not Easy Bein' Green") is a song written by Joe Raposo, originally performed by Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog on both ''Sesame Street'' and ''The Muppet Show'' (in the episodes "Peter Ustinov" and "Peter Seller ...

" –

# "

Rainbow Connection "Rainbow Connection" is a song from the 1979 film ''The Muppet Movie'', with music and lyrics written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. The song was performed by Jim Henson – as Kermit the Frog – in the film. "Rainbow Connection" reache ...

" – Kermit & Muppets With Sesame Street Gang # "Lady of Spain" – Marvin Suggs & his Muppaphone # "

Halfway Down the Stairs "Halfway Down" is a poem by A.A. Milne, included in the 1924 collection ''When We Were Very Young''. A "juvenile meditation", Zena Sutherland comments in ''Children & Books'' that both the poem and Ernest Shepard's illustration "has caught the mo ...

" – Kermit & Robin # "

What Now My Love? "What Now, My Love?" is the English title of a popular song whose original French version, "Et maintenant" (English: "And Now") was written in 1961 by composer Gilbert Bécaud and lyricist Pierre Delanoë. The recurring musical pattern in the back ...

" –

# "Tenderly" – Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem # "Happy Feet" – Kermit and the Frog Chorus

Release

''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' premiered on April 27, 2005 at the

. The television premiere was on May 20, 2005 at 8:00pm on ABC in the US. It aired in Canada on

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...

, and in the UK on December 18, 2005. In the US, the film's official soundtrack was released on May 17, 2005.

Buena Vista Home Entertainment Buena ( ) is a borough in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,603,"''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' at Disney Videos."
Disney Videos. Retrieved: April 8, 2008. The film was released to Region 1

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...

and VHS on August 9, 2005."''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' DVD/VHS."

. Retrieved: March 4, 2008. The Region 2 DVD was released on April 3, 2006."''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' Region 2 DVD."

. Retrieved: March 4, 2008. The film was rated U by the

British Board of Film Classification The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of f ...

, "''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' rated U by the BBFC."

BBFC The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of f ...

. Retrieved: March 7, 2008. K-3 in

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

,"''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' rated "3" by the FBFC (VET)."
VET. Retrieved: March 7, 2008. and G in Australia."''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' – Anniversary Edition."

EzyDVD EzyDVD is an Australian specialist home video retailer offering DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray discs for purchase. At its peak in the mid-2000s the company had over 70 retail stores around Australia, but is now exclusively an online retailer. ...

. Retrieved: March 7, 2008. The DVD and VHS were released under the title '' Extended Version'' in the US and '' Anniversary Edition'' outside the US. The extended version contains 20 minutes of footage cut from the feature film, including the footage of the

and

cameos. The DVD and VHS included an extended interview with Quentin Tarantino, a blooper reel, and a behind-the-scenes look at the film guided by

Pepe the Prawn Pepino Rodrigo Serrano Gonzales, better known as Pepe the King Prawn, is a Muppet character created for ''Muppets Tonight'' and performed by Bill Barretta, originally as part of a vaudeville double act with Seymour the Elephant. Overview Pepe i ...

. In the US, the DVD and VHS release of the film was in a 1.33:1 ( fullscreen) aspect ratio, whereas the international versions are in the original 1.78:1 (

widescreen Widescreen images are displayed within a set of aspect ratios (relationship of image width to height) used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than t ...

) aspect ratio. During

Macy's Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American chain of high-end department stores founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. It became a division of the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores in 1994, through which it is affiliated wi ...

annual Flower Show promotion, the store's windows along

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

displayed flower arrangements illustrating six scenes from the movie, while the store sold ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz''-related merchandise, such as plush dolls.

Critical reception

7.75 million viewers watched ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' on its television premiere night in the United States; it ranked as the forty-second most-watched television program of the week."Weekly Program Rankings."

Medianet, May 24, 2005. Retrieved: October 22, 2008. Michael Schneider of ''

'' wrote that it "performed solidly ... particularly with adults 18–34, teens and kids."Schneider, Michael
"The Muppets pull strings at ABC."
''

'', October 24, 2005. Retrieved: April 5, 2008. The film received negative reviews from critics. At

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, the movie currently holds a 38% rating, based on 8 reviews."''The Muppets: Wizard of Oz'' at Rotten Tomatoes."

. Retrieved: November 23, 2008. For the film's positive response, Kevin Carr stated that "When you dig down and actually find (and watch) the new Muppet material, some of the magic is still there."

MaryAnn Johanson Mary Ann or Maryann or Mary Anne may refer to: People * Mary Ann Booth (1843–1922), American microscopist * Mary Ann Cunningham (1841-1930), Canadian temperance activist * Mary Ann Hanmer Dodd (1813-1878), American poet * Mary Ann Hilliard (18 ...

of Flick Filosopher said that, "It's not on a par with the Muppet movie madness of old, but it's darn close." According to the Bums Corner's review the film was a "treat for all ages, and that it was a colorful, musical, humorous romp." Keith Allen of Movie Rapture gave the film 2.5 stars out of 3, explaining that the film's humor was surprisingly clever, and that the film would frequently make you laugh. Mutant Reviewers commented that although the Muppet deal with Walt Disney was "disappointing", the film managed to be funny and witty. For the film's negative response, David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews warned that the film was "strictly for kids."Nusair, David
"Five Muppet Movies from Disney."
Reel Film Reviews. Retrieved: March 5, 2008. Nusair stated that although Ashanti can sing, she cannot act. Joshua Tyler of Cinema Blend explained that Dorothy visiting the Wizard of Oz to become a star instead of going back home was a big mistake,Tyler, Joshua

Cinema Blend, July 31, 2005. Retrieved: March 7, 2008. and that it showed how shallow society has become. R.J. Carter of The Trades gave the film a B−, also stating that Dorothy's wish to become a star was a selfish one. Ultimate Disney's review found that the extended DVD version of the film did more harm than good;
''

Ultimate Disney Ultimate or Ultimates may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums * ''Ultimate'' (Jolin Tsai album) * ''Ultimate'' (Pet Shop Boys album) *''Ultimate!'', an album by The Yardbirds *'' The Ultimate (Bryan Adams Album)'', a compilati ...

'', August 9, 2005. Retrieved: April 26, 2008. Andy Dursin of The Aisle Seat said that the original film was "dull" and that the extended version was an improvement."Kung Fu Craziness: Andy Reviews Stephen Chow's ''Kung Fu Hustle'' Plus: ''Winn-Dixie'' and ''The Muppets Visit Oz''!"
The Aisle Seat, August 10, 2005. Retrieved: April 4, 2008. Cold Fusion Video felt that although the film was entertaining, it lacked the heart and wit of Jim Henson's Muppet films."''Muppets’ Wizard of Oz, The'' (2005)."
Cold Fusion Video, August 31, 2005. Retrieved: April 4, 2008. Bryan Pope of DVD Verdict said that the film drained the Muppets of their spirit and was slightly gratuitous. Techtite TV reviews felt that the film was done poorly on all levels, and that the film was on the higher end of TV-PG. Other reviewers felt that the film's attempt to appeal to an older, more mature audience was ultimately a bad idea. Kerry Bennett of Parent Previews warned that it sometimes steered "dangerously off course" due to an excess of sexual content and violence.Bennett, Kerry
"''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz''."
Parent Previews. Retrieved: April 4, 2008. Referential humor to the marriage of

Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...

Manolo Blahnik Manuel "Manolo" Blahnik Rodríguez (; born 27 November 1942) is a Spanish fashion designer and founder of the eponymous high-end shoe brand. Biography Blahnik was born in Santa Cruz de la Palma, in the Canary Islands (Spain), to a Czech father ...

style silver shoes, and films such as '' Girls Gone Wild'', ''

The Passion of the Christ ''The Passion of the Christ'' is a 2004 American epic biblical drama film produced, directed and co-written by Mel Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth, Maia Morgenstern as Mary, mother of Jesus, and Monica Bellucci as Mary M ...

'', ''

Apocalypse Now ''Apocalypse Now'' is a 1979 American epic war film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The screenplay, co-written by Coppola, John Milius and Michael Herr, is loosely based on the 1899 novella ''Heart of Darkness'' by Joseph Conr ...

'', and '' Kill Bill: Volume 1'' were seen as too mature. Cold Fusion Video judged the Kelly Osbourne cameo in the extended edition as "pointless". Dursin contrasted the two guest appearances and found that the Tarantino cameo dragged the film down. Critics were split on the merits of ABC's modernized adaptation to rely on plot elements from the original novel instead of the iconic 1939 film."Richard Scheib film review."
Moria.co.nz, 2007. Retrieved: April 4, 2008.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Muppets Wizard Of Oz 2005 television films 2005 films Canadian television films English-language Canadian films The Muppets films The Muppets television specials The Jim Henson Company films 2000s children's fantasy films American television films American children's films 2005 soundtrack albums Walt Disney Records soundtracks Walt Disney anthology television series episodes Films based on The Wizard of Oz Films scored by Michael Giacchino Canadian musical films Films directed by Kirk Thatcher Films about witchcraft Films set in Kansas 20th Century Fox Television films 20th Century Fox direct-to-video films Fantasy film soundtracks 2000s American films 2000s Canadian films

Plot

Cast

Muppets performers

Production

Music

Soundtrack

Release

Critical reception

See also

References

External links