Disney Officially Recasts 2 Beloved Muppets

2026 is a big year for The Muppets.

In Muppetland, there’s an upcoming revival of The Muppet Show featuring Sabrina Carpenter, a Miss Piggy movie written by Cole Escola with Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone on the way, and a Fraggle Rock holiday special that just released.

Now, two classic Muppets are returning to the stage after being absent from all Muppets media for almost ten years.

In two new videos, Rizzo the Rat and Bean Bunny make a triumphant return after the characters have been absent since The Muppets series aired from 2015-16.

Both characters were formerly voiced by Steve Whitmire, who was dismissed from Muppets Studio in 2016 after a contract dispute with Disney. (He also voiced Kermit, Ernie, Statler, Beaker, Lips, and Wembley Fraggle.) Since Whitmire’s dismissal, the two characters have not spoken any dialogue on-screen.

The two characters will now be voiced by Bradley Freeman Jr.

Bean Bunny’s video was a special release for Disney Vacation Club members, while Rizzo’s video references his most famous line from A Muppet Christmas Carol: “Light the lamp, not the rat!”

You can watch Bean Bunny’s video by clicking here, and see the video starring Rizzo the Rat and Miss Piggy below.