( The Hollywood Reporter ) It may be time to light the lights . ABC is filming a proof of concept for a revival of `` The Muppets , '' The Hollywood Reporter has learned . `` The Big Bang Theory '' co-creator Bill Prady is co-writing the script for a pilot presentation that sources say could be unspooled at May 's upfront presentation to Madison Avenue advertisers . Sources tell THR that the project , if all goes well , could go straight to series . Bob Kushell ( `` Anger Management , '' `` 3rd Rock From the Sun '' ) will also co-write and is attached to serve as showrunner , with Wilfred 's Randall Einhorn attached to exec produce and direct the presentation . ABC 's `` Muppets '' revival is being produced by ABC Studios and The Muppet Studios , which Disney owns . The presentation is set to film next weekend on the Disney lot in Burbank with some of the original Muppet performers returning . Sources say the concept for the presentation includes the regular cast of characters created by Jim Henson — Kermit the Frog , Fozzie Bear , Gonzo and Animal , among others — gathering at ABC Studios for a meeting about the new `` Muppet Show . '' However , the show wo n't move forward unless Miss Piggy signs on , and her current relationship with frequent love Kermit is on the rocks , preventing the show from getting off the ground . Early plans call for two celebrity cameos — including Miss Piggy 's current co-star — as well as new roles including Fozzie 's girlfriend and her parents . For Prady , the revived `` Muppets '' — which landed at ABC after initial interest from Netflix — marks a return to his roots . The producer , who currently does not have an overall deal , started his career working for Henson in 1982 and ultimately started writing for `` The Jim Henson Hour , '' remaining on the series until a year after Henson 's death in 1990 . This marks the second time Prady has attempted to revive `` The Muppets . '' The writer-producer shot some test footage before CBS ' `` The Big Bang Theory '' that Disney ultimately passed on . For his part , Prady earned an Emmy nomination in 1991 for writing tribute `` The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson '' in 1990 and has contributed writing to Disney 's Muppet-themed attractions . Should ABC order `` Muppets '' to series , Prady would juggle both that project and CBS ' `` The Big Bang Theory , '' which he exec produces . Created in 1955 by Henson , the original Muppet characters appeared on `` Sam and Friends '' from 1955-61 before going on to appear on late-night talk shows and commercials and becoming a regular part of `` Sesame Street '' in 1969 . `` The Muppet Show '' launched on its own as a comedy-variety series and ran from 1976-81 , with Kermit serving as the de-facto showrunner on the syndicated series that was produced out of the U.K . The franchise has spawned multiple movies ( 1979 's `` The Muppet Movie , '' 1981 's `` The Great Muppet Caper , '' 1984 's `` The Muppets Take Manhattan '' ) as well as NBC 's 1989 series `` The Jim Henson Hour . '' Following Henson 's death , the franchise continued with `` Muppets Tonight '' airing on ABC in 1996 with reruns airing on sibling Disney Channel from 1997-2000 . That was the last television series to feature the Muppets characters . On the feature side , the franchise featured 1992 's `` The Muppet Christmas Carol , '' 1996 's `` Muppet Treasure Island '' and 1999 's `` Muppets From Space , '' the latter two of which were co-produced by Disney , who acquired rights to the Muppets in 2004 and formed The Muppets Studio . The company rebranded the franchise in 2008 with Jason Segel 's `` The Muppets , '' with an eighth feature in the franchise , `` Muppets Most Wanted '' bowing in 2014 . For ABC , the Muppets revival comes as variety shows are in the midst of a resurgence on the broadcast networks . NBC has made the format a priority , unspooling Marlon Wayans-hosted celebrity variety series `` I Can Do That ! '' in the summer and has Neil Patrick Harris entry `` Saturday Night Takeaway '' in the works . The decision to revive `` The Muppets '' also comes as remakes and reboots are having their moment in the sun on the small-screen , as broadcast networks look to fan bases for existing franchises to help cut through the clutter and draw eyeballs in an increasingly crowded scripted space . On the comedy side , `` The Muppets '' arrives as it has become increasingly challenging to launch original scripted half-hours . Prady is repped by Rothman Brecher and Lichter Grossman ; Kushell is with ICM Partners ; Einhorn is with WME , Odenkirk Provissiero and Bloom Hergott . ©2015 The Hollywood Reporter . All rights reserved .
`` The Muppets '' might return to television on ABC . `` The Big Bang Theory '' co-creator Bill Prady is co-writing a pilot script . The old Muppet gang would return for the variety show .