Ron Howard Says Jim Henson Documentary Will Reveal Surprises About Muppet Legend
variety.comJenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor Ron Howard first attended the Cannes Film Festival with his 1988 fantasy-adventure “Willow,” and he’ll never forget his first walk up the stairs at the Palais des Festivals, where the film premiered out of competition. “I remember that first time so vividly,” he says, more than 25 years later. “And what I really remember is how fun it was.” Howard would return over the years as an Oscar-winning director and super-producer (with Brian Grazer) behind Imagine Entertainment.
This year, Howard will make his return to the Croisette with the documentary “Jim Henson Idea Man,” premiering as part of the Cannes Classics lineup before hitting Disney+ May 31.
Howard will also be honored with Variety’s Profiles in Excellence Award at the publication’s Welcome to Cannes Party, hosted in partnership with the Gotham Film & Media Institute.
The event will take place May 16 at Lucia Beach. Howard is the rare auteur known as much for his talent as his genial persona, so it makes perfect sense that he would be the one to profile a legend like Henson, the artist behind the classic characters seen on “The Muppets” and “Sesame Street.” They met in person only once — backstage at a variety show when Howard was in his twenties.
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