The Best Jim Henson Movies, Ranked
105 credits from 1961 to 2025, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. The biggest box office hit is Rocky III (1982) with $125M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Biggest Jim Henson Box Office Hits
Jim Henson's films have made $315M worldwide in total. Rocky III (1982) is the biggest hit at $125M, ahead of The Muppet Movie (1979) ($66.5M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1
Rocky III 1982 · Drama $125M $125M dom. - 2
The Muppet Movie 1979 · Adventure $66.5M $66.5M dom. - 3
The Dark Crystal 1982 · Adventure $44.6M $41.6M dom. - 4
The Great Muppet Caper 1981 · Adventure $31.2M $31.2M dom. - 5
The Muppets Take Manhattan 1984 · Adventure $25.5M $25.5M dom. - 6
Follow That Bird 1985 · Adventure $14M $14M dom. - 7
Into the Night 1985 · Comedy $7.56M $7.56M dom. - 8
The Bells of Fraggle Rock 1984 · Family $232K $232K dom. - 9
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas 1977 · Music $232K $232K dom. - 10
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story 2015 · Biography $67.8K $67.8K dom.
The Best Jim Henson Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre Jim Henson has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Family leads with 27 films, and The Bells of Fraggle Rock (1984) is the pick of them.
- Family 27 films The Bells of Fraggle Rock 1984 · as Cantus the Minstrel (voice)
- Comedy 21 films Into the Night 1985 · as Man on Phone
- Music 11 films Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas 1977 · as Kermit the Frog / Harrison Fox / Harvey / Snake (voice)
- Adventure 5 films The Muppet Movie 1979
- Drama 2 films Rocky III 1982 · as Kermit the Frog (voice)
- Biography 1 film I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story 2015
The Best Jim Henson Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of Jim Henson's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1970s to 2010s.
The Latest Jim Henson Movies
The most recent films Jim Henson is credited on, newest first — starting with I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2015). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story 2015 · Biography
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Jim Henson’s Tales from Muppetland 2009 · Drama -
A Sesame Street Christmas Carol 2006 · Ernie (voice) (archive footage) -
Fraggle Rock: Live by the Rule of the Rock 2005 · Director -
AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Songs: America’s Greatest Music in the Movies 2004 · Kermit the Frog -
Muppets Magic From ‘The Ed Sullivan Show!’ 2003 · Muppet Performer -
The Best of Kermit on Sesame Street 1998 · Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage) -
Sesame Street: Quiet Time 1997 · Ernie ("Naptime") / Kermit the Frog (voice) (archive footage) -
Sesame Street: Do the Alphabet 1996 · Ernie (voice) -
Sesame Street: 25 Wonderful Years: A Musical Celebration! 1993 · Ernie -
Muppet*Vision 3D 1991 · Kermit the Frog / Swedish Chef / Waldorf (voice) -
The Muppets at Walt Disney World 1990 · Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Swedish Chef / Link Hogthrob (voice)
The Best Jim Henson Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Jim Henson films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the highest-grossing Jim Henson movie?
Rocky III (1982) made the most at the box office, with $125M worldwide, followed by The Muppet Movie (1979) with $66.5M. Together, Jim Henson's films with box office figures have made $315M.
What is the best Jim Henson family movie?
The Bells of Fraggle Rock (1984) is the best-rated of Jim Henson's family films. In other genres: Into the Night (comedy), Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (music) and The Muppet Movie (adventure).
What is the newest Jim Henson movie?
The newest film on Jim Henson's filmography is The Muppet Script (2025), with Jim Henson as Self (archive footage).
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