4 Muppets Who Tried to Dethrone Kermit

Since the inception of the Muppets, the group has had one tried and true leader -- Kermit the Frog. Kermey’s moral compass has helped lead the Muppet misfits on countless adventures, including the rescue of the infamous Muppet Theater too many times to count. Not to mention, the green guy has been the go-to Muppet used for talk-show appearances, print ads, and everything and anything Muppets.

But while Kermit sits comfortable atop his Muppet throne -- there have been other Muppets who clamored for his top spot. Muppets who tried to take the crown -- and spoiler alert -- each one failed miserably. See who got the closest and how Miss Piggy tried to “Force” Kermit out of his role.

 

1. Bean Bunny

One of Jim Henson’s last Muppet creations was Bean Bunny. The bunny was rocketed to stardom in the Muppet world with the 1986 Easter special “The Tale of the Bunny Picnic”. Henson’s main goal of Bean Bunny’s creation was to make the “cute and loveable” Muppet so others would have more of an edge. Well, the cute factor was kicked up several notches and Bean Bunny was truly thrust into the spotlight. 

 

The late-eighties didn’t seem to bode well for Kermit as Bean Bunny not only got his own special where none of the traditional Muppets starred in, but the little guy was added to a number of Muppet productions including The Jim Henson Hour. One of the biggest blows to Kermit has to be the production of Muppet Vision 3D for Disney World. The huge stage show and short movie featured a lot of the key Muppet stars, but Bean Bunny seemingly took the spotlight and his legacy continues to live on as Muppet Vision 3D is still a featured attraction in Disney World’s Hollywood Studios.

 

That wasn’t all, though! Bean Bunny was even added to the seventh season of Muppet Babies -- essentially becoming the Brady Bunch’s Cousin Oliver of the cartoon. Merchandise, toys, and Bean Bunny books flooded the market -- but suddenly his dominance came to a crashing halt.

Who knows how far the rise of Bean Bunny would have gone if it wasn’t for the untimely passing of Jim Henson in 1990? Henson was the biggest supporter of Bean Bunny, but the rest of the company? Not so much. Bean quickly became comedic fodder as Kermit kept his leader position strong. Bean was trashed on, neglected, and his last big performance was in The Muppet Christmas Carol -- a movie featuring Kermit as one of the leads. Nice try, bunny, but you couldn’t outlast the frog.

 

2. Walter

One of the biggest changes to the Muppets franchise came in 2004 when Disney bought a majority of the Muppets from the Henson company. After spending years not knowing exactly what to do with the characters, Disney finally decided to go all-in and release The Muppets in 2011. Only this wasn’t just another adventure with Kermit and the gang. The core of the story belonged to Walter, the newest Muppet who aimed to take the spotlight away from Kermit.

Kermit Meets Walter

 Sure, this guy claims to be one of the biggest Kermit fans, but we all know how quickly the apprentice can turn on his master. Walter is no different. This guy’s obsession with Kermit transformed from collecting Kermit memorabilia to dressing like the guy. He didn’t want to be friends with him -- he wanted to replace him. And boy was he close. Disney’s reboot on the franchise was a big success and Walter got a lot of the spotlight in the process, but the little green frog would not be undone.

Walter The Muppet

 When it came time for a Muppet Movie sequel, Kermit took the reins once again. Walter was relegated to a background role as Kermit not only took the main focus, but went on to feature TWO versions of the green frog in the movie. Sorry boutchya Walter, but this is Kermit’s territory, and he wasn’t about to let Disney dismantle his throne. Further proof of Kermit’s return as the top guy was showcased in Ralph Breaks the Internet when Kermit’s face is predominantly featured in the Muppet section of “Oh My Disney”. Much like Bean Bunny, Walter is now more of an afterthought, shoved into random cameos for newer Muppet productions.

 

3. Rizzo the Rat

We smell a rat -- a rat by the name of Rizzo. Rizzo the Rat was the creation of Muppeteer Steve Whitmire and the little guy quickly began stealing the show with his debut on The Muppet Show. His true claim to fame came in the Muppets Take Manhattan where his scenes as a diner cook really stole the movie and created one of the most memorable sequences. But this was just a taste of what was to come for little Rizzo. The rat knew he couldn’t take down Kermey alone -- so he relied on a partner in crime -- Gonzo the Great.

Rizzo The Rat

 The comedy duo became an instant hit as they teamed up for big-screen features like The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island. They provided roles as narrators, comedy relief, and stole some of the film’s biggest scenes. Unfortunately, Rizzo’s ruse was ended quick. Two factors led to Rizzo's demise. The first was Muppets From Space. The 1999 film was Gonzo and Rizzo’s big chance to shine after stealing the show. Unfortunately, the film was a major bust and fans quickly lost interest in the Muppets. How bad was it? It took 12 years before another Muppets movie was released theatrically. And the tag team of Gonzo and Rizzo is pretty much all to blame.

Rizzo and Kermit

 The other factor involves Rizzo’s performer, Steve Whitmore. When Whitmore created Rizzo, he put all his focus into the little rat and allowed him to join the usual Muppet stable. But, after Jim Henson’s death in 1990, Whitmore took over the role of Kermit. If you were voicing and controlling the lead frog, striving for the little rat’s dominance would naturally fade. And it did. Rizzo was barely in the Muppets and the Muppets Most Wanted. Kermit wins again.

 

4. Master Yoda

Yes -- Yoda isn’t technically a Muppet...but he should be. Just look at the facts. Yoda was manufactured and designed by the same people who created many of the Muppets. Yoda’s performer, Frank Oz, is best known for the long-time performances of Miss Piggy and Fozzy Bear. He’s quirky, funny, and would fit right in with the whole Muppet trope. During the filming of Empire Strikes Back, Yoda even posed for pictures with Kermit and Miss Piggy. All the signs were there -- and led back to Frank Oz himself. Oz had made a name for himself on The Muppet Show, but even the diva Miss Piggy wasn’t enough to thrust Kermit from the spotlight.

The Empire Strikes Back Set

And this is where Yoda comes in. Oz would always be in the shadow of Henson and Kermit. Yoda was his chance to create a popular puppet outside the Muppets realm. And as we all know, Yoda was a MASSIVE success. He remains one of the most quoted and beloved characters of the whole Star Wars franchise. No matter how you define it, Yoda could have been the most popular Muppet/puppet of all-time -- right up until George Lucas decided to make The Phantom Menace. The puppet used for the film was so poorly received that Lucas did some of his editing magic and completely replaced him with a full-blown CG version, taking away from the allure of practical puppetry.

Yoda Who?

Kermit eyes his competition...Master Yoda

And even though a Yoda puppet returned for the new trilogy, the damage was done -- plus Yoda now has his own competition in the Star Wars universe. Grogu has taken the world by storm and looks to unseat Yoda in popularity. Ouch. In some swamp somewhere, there’s a green frog smiling.

Could anyone steal the Muppet throne from Kermit? Not in this lifetime. Kermit's reign will live on.