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Muppets from Space DVD cover

Muppets from Space was the sixth feature film to star The Muppets, and the first since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson to have an original Muppet-focused plot. This film was directed by Tim Hill, produced by Jim Henson Pictures for Columbia Pictures, and originally released to movie theatres by 1999.

The film was considered a bomb theatrically, making only $16,290,976 during its run. According to Brian Henson, the film was planned by the Henson company to be released in the off season, like other Muppet films, but Columbia wanted Muppets from Space to be their big summer movie, rushing production and causing there to be less advertising for the film. The film had also suffered coming out the same summer as Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. There has not been another theatrical Muppet film since, despite many films planned but never made.

Gonzo has always been classified as a whatever, but after he begins to have disturbing dreams of abandonment, he begins to realize just how alone he is in the world. After an alien race appears to be trying to send him a message through bowls of cereal, Gonzo realizes that he may not be so alone after all and climbs to the rooftop to start watching the sky. His dreams are realized when he's hit by a bolt of lightning that serves as a conduit that allows him to communicate with a pair of cosmic fish, revealing to him that he is, in fact, an alien from outer space.

When Kermit and his friends refuse to believe his wild raving, however, Gonzo is lured into the clutches of K. Edgar Singer (Jeffrey Tambor), a government agent who has also taken note of the aliens' attempts at communication and believes that Gonzo is his key to convincing his superiors that aliens do in fact exist. Kermit and the gang spring into action to rescue Gonzo, with the help of some handy inventions courtesy of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew.

A talking sandwich asks Gonzo where the alien ship can land, and Gonzo suggests Cape Doom. The Muppets go there after rescuing Gonzo and, along with a crowd of alien-happy spectators, await their arrival. The ship comes to Earth and the aliens, who all look suspiciously like Gonzo, explain that many Zultans ago he was lost him but welcome him back to the fold. K. Edgar Singer turns up and tries to kill the Aliens, but thanks to Bobo the bear who has disabled his weapon, he cannot. Gonzo considers going in to space with the Gonzo-like aliens, until he realizes his true home is on Earth with his surrogate family and friends, and K. Edgar Singer goes with the aliens as Earth's ambassador.

• The character of Scooter had stopped appearing after the death of puppeteer Richard Hunt, but Scooter appears briefly in the movie in a speaking cameo voiced by Hunt's brother Adam Hunt.
• Dave Goelz had recorded a new rendition of "I'm Going to Go Back There Some Day" for this film, a song which had originally appeared in The Muppet Movie. There was some debate over whether the characters would sing in the film^{[citation needed]}, and in the end the song was dropped, but was included on the Muppets from Space soundtrack.
• Among the many pop culture references, Edgar Singer makes a Star Trek reference in the film, complete with the appropriate musical cues from the original 1960's television series.
• In one scene of in the movie "Hollywood Hulk Hogan" makes an appearance and cuts a short nWo promo before putting Rizzo the Rat down a tube to the lab.
• Since this movie was produced for Columbia Pictures, The Walt Disney Company did not obtain ownership of it when they bought the Muppets. Regardless, it has occasionally been shown on Toon Disney, despite the aforementioned ownership problems and the fact that it isn't animated.

A similar story was written by Kirk Thatcher, called "Muppets In Space." In the screenplay, aliens abducted Kermit because they believed him to be their leader, leading the other Muppets to attempt to save him. A set of Welch's Jelly Glasses were produced based around this theme.

• Muppets from Space at the Internet Movie Database
• Muppet Wiki: Muppets from Space