The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Muppet Christmas Carol
Theatrical release poster by Drew Struzan
Directed byBrian Henson
Screenplay byJerry Juhl
Based onA Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
Produced by
  • Brian Henson
  • Martin G. Baker
Starring
CinematographyJohn Fenner
Edited byMichael Jablow
Music byMiles Goodman
Production
companies
Distributed byBuena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date
  • December 11, 1992 (1992-12-11)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12 million
Box office$27.2 million

The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 American Christmas musical film produced and directed by Brian Henson (in his feature directorial debut). It is the fourth theatrical film featuring the Muppets. Adapted from the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens with a screenplay written by Jerry Juhl, the film takes artistic license to suit the aesthetic of the Muppets, but follows Dickens' original story closely. It is the first Muppet film where a human is the main protagonist.

The film stars Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge alongside Muppet performers Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, and Frank Oz. It is the first Muppet film to be produced following the deaths of creator Jim Henson and performer Richard Hunt; the film is dedicated to both.

The film was released in the United States on December 11, 1992, by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution under its Walt Disney Pictures label. It was a modest box office success and received generally favorable reviews. It is the first Muppets film to be produced by Disney, whose parent company would later acquire the rights to the Muppets characters and assets in 2004. The film's reputation has grown in the years since its release, and it is often listed as one of the best Christmas films of all-time.