Jim Henson Idea Man, directed by Ron Howard, dominated the documentary categories with eight nominations at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards. This was three more nominations than any other documentary received.
The film received nominations for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program for Ron Howard, recognition for writer Mark Monroe, cinematographers Igor Martinovic and Vanja Cernjul, picture editors Sierra Neal and Paul Crowder, the film’s sound editing and sound mixing teams, as well as David Fleming’s score.
Imagine Documentaries President Sara Bernstein, who was also nominated for producing Jim Henson Idea Man, expressed her excitement and gratitude for the honor from the Academy. “We’re so thrilled. What an honor from the Academy,” she said. “We’re so excited.”
The documentary delves into the life and remarkable artistic achievements of the late Jim Henson, who brought to life iconic characters like the Muppets and Fraggle Rock. He also directed films such as Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and the Oscar-nominated short Time Piece, as well as showcased his talents in singing, sketching, and performing characters like Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the Dog. The film also highlights the significant contributions of Jane Henson, Jim’s late wife, who was a puppeteer and co-founder of The Muppets, Inc.
Bernstein expressed his hope that Jim and Jane Henson, wherever they may be, are smiling and celebrating the Emmy nominations. He emphasized that Jim Henson was an exceptional creative genius and a true pioneer of television. The recognition from the Television Academy is a thrilling and great honor for the film.
To create this documentary, Howard was granted access to the Henson family archives by Jim Henson’s children. The documentary can now be streamed on Disney+.
“We were not involved in the production of the movie, but we are thrilled to see the incredible response to Ron’s film,” said Lisa Henson, one of Jim and Jane’s five children, in an interview with Deadline. “Ron’s artistry as a filmmaker allowed him to creatively and insightfully present Jim Henson as a person. Many people have been intrigued by Jim Henson, but he has always been a bit of a mysterious figure because he was always behind the scenes. Ron has created a beautiful and personal film that truly allows viewers to get to know my father.”
Henson also expressed their excitement for the recognition of the entire creative team involved. “We are absolutely thrilled to see the entire creative team being honored. Ron did a fantastic job directing, and it’s wonderful to see nominations for the writing, sound, and editing. Each of these individuals is at the top of their game in the documentary genre. It’s great to see the Imagine team being recognized in this way.”
Henson mentioned that there have been numerous filmmakers showing interest in creating a new documentary about Henson. This documentary would delve into new territory and have access to archives that previous filmmakers did not have. After being approached by many filmmakers, the Henson family decided to wait for the perfect match, a serious filmmaker who could align with Jim Henson’s perspective. When they met Ron, the family felt comfortable entrusting him with the film because their goal was not just to make a film, but to find the right person to trust with it. Henson praised Howard’s team for their efforts in searching for additional materials to complement what the family already has in their possession.
“We provided the archives with a lot of material, but they went above and beyond and discovered many things that even I hadn’t seen before, as well as most of my family. They really delved deep,” she said.
As Imagine considers a possible sale, the company has reportedly received several inquiries in the past eight weeks regarding potential buyouts or mergers. Deadline Co-Editor-in-Chief Mike Fleming Jr. recently reported that Brian Grazer and Howard have enlisted the help of JP Morgan to develop a strategic plan.
According to Bernstein, she is not involved in any discussions regarding a potential sale or merger. However, she expressed her hope that the documentary division of Imagine will continue to produce acclaimed projects. In recent years, Imagine has emerged as one of the most active creators of documentaries, with a diverse range of films and series, including “Judy Blume Forever,” “The Super Models,” “The Dynasty: New England Patriots,” “Frida” (a documentary about artist Frida Kahlo), “Julia” (about chef/author Julia Child), “We Feed People” (Ron Howard’s film about chef and humanitarian José Andrés), “Lucy and Desi” (directed by Amy Poehler, about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz), and many others.
“In 2018, Justin Wilkes and I established this division for Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Our goal was to create a successful and prolific division,” Bernstein explained. “It’s truly amazing to see the amount of work, films, and series that we have been able to produce over the past six years. We have an incredible production team here at Imagine Docs, and I hope this momentum continues.”
According to Deadline, Jim Henson Idea Man will be submitted for consideration at the Oscars, in addition to the Emmys. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, which has served as a launchpad for many Oscar-winning and nominated documentaries such as Amy, Four Daughters, and Faces Places. Bernstein did not fully confirm any Oscar plans, stating, “Disney definitely supported that effort and the film was qualified for the Oscars. We’ll see what happens.”
According to sources, Ron Howard was unable to provide a comment today as he was occupied with his current project. One of his ongoing films is Eden, boasting an impressive ensemble cast that includes Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law, Ana De Armas, and Daniel Bruhl.
When asked about Howard’s specific focus today, Bernstein refrained from revealing any details but intriguingly mentioned, “It’s a particular film that will soon have its premiere.”