Full length cut of The Muppet Christmas Carol is coming to Disney+
'When Love Is Gone' has been missing from recent versions of the film
There have been plenty of great adaptations Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' but it's fair to argue that one of the best is Disney's 1992 The Muppet Christmas Carol'.
The film starred Michael Caine as Ebeneezer Scrooge alongside many of Jim Henson's iconic puppets. But what you may not know is a whole musical number was cut from the film's theatrical release.
Two years after a copy of the film without the cut was found Disney have revealed that the full version of The Muppets Christmas Carol featuring 'When Love Is Gone' will be added to their streaming service this year.
What was cut from The Muppet Christmas Carol?
While Scrooge is being shown his past, the trip down memory lane concludes with him being shown Belle (Meredith Braun), his old love interest who left him due to his obsession with money.
The scene was originally set to conclude with Belle singing the song 'When Love Is Gone' where she laments how Scrooge's love for money surpasses his love for her.
Why was 'When Love Is Gone' cut?
The decision to cut the number was apparently made by executives at Disney who were worried that the song was a bit too slow and a bit too serious for the film's younger target audience.
Director Brian Henson disagreed with this decision pointing out that the film's conclusion features 'When Love Is Found' as a response to the original song.
As a compromise, the song was cut from the theatrical release but kept in the home release on VHS. While the song remained in tact in many home releases for the time being, problems arose when it came to releasing the film for modern home media as the film's masters and original negative were lost by Disney.
However, in 2020 a copy of the film with 'When Love Is Gone' still in tact was found.
When will the full version of The Muppet Christmas Carol be added to Disney+?
Two years later, Disney announced at their D23 Expo in LA that the film was being remastered in 4K and will be available to stream on Disney+ from 11th December 2022.
Take a look at the new Disney projects coming over the next year:
Peter Pan and Wendy
The new Peter Pan film - titled Peter Pan and Wendy - landed on Disney+ on 28th April 2023. The film sees the legendary Jude Law play the infamous Captain Hook.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was released on 5th May 2023. The film features a star-studded cast including Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Harrison Ford reprises his role as Indiana Jones in the fifth film in the franchise, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The film was due for release on 30th June 2023, however it has now been revealed that the UK and Ireland will get to see the film a whole two days earlier - from 28th June!
Elemental
According to the film's poster, 'opposites react' in upcoming Disney and Pixar film, Elemental. Characters Ember (Leah Lewis) and Wade (Mamoudou Athie) will take to the big screen on 7th July 2023, where we'll see them explore their differences as well as how much they have in common.
Wish
Disney's animated film Wish 'explores how the iconic wishing star came to be', with Ariana DeBose as main character Asha. It will feature original songs by Julia Michaels and will be released in November 2023.
Elio
According to Pixar, Elio is about: 'A boy who finds himself transported across the galaxy & mistaken for the intergalactic Ambassador for our planet Earth.' Elio is an 'underdog with an active imagination', and on his journey 'must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, survive a series of formidable trials and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.'
The cast includes the talented America Ferrera, Yonas Kibreab, Jameela Jamil and Brad Garrett, with the film scheduled to take off on 1st March 2024.
Snow White
Starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as The Evil Queen, Snow White will be getting the live-action remake treatment from Disney. The film is set for release in 2024.
Inside Out 2
Amy Poehler will return as Joy in the sequel to 2015's Inside Out. The film is set for release in summer 2024 and will explore Riley's emotions as a teenager.
Mufasa: The Lion King
In a live-action prequel story, we'll get to see Mufasa's journey to becoming the King. The film will come out in 2024, and while not much other information has been released yet, we do know that Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen reprise their roles of Timon and Pumbaa.
How can I watch Disney+?
You can watch all of Disney's amazing films and TV shows on Disney+, as well as some of the upcoming releases which are exclusive to the platform.
To start watching, you'll need to make a Disney+ account for only £7.99 per month. 18+. Subscription required. Ts & Cs Apply.
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