Why Walton Goggins Is Suddenly Scrooge in a New Official Muppet Christmas Carol Ad
Walton Goggins leads Walmart's official Muppet Christmas Carol ad with Kermit, Miss Piggy and Gonzo. Here's what changed.
The latest The Muppet Christmas Carol surprise is not a sequel, but it does put a new face in Ebenezer Scrooge's coat. Walton Goggins has joined Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and Gonzo for an official reworking of the film through a new Walmart campaign made with Disney and The Muppets Studio.
What changed is a brand new ad built around one of the movie's best known musical moments. Walmart has launched Walmart Presents: A Who Knew Carol, a short project inspired by The Muppet Christmas Carol that revisits the song "Scrooge."
Goggins, who Disney fans may also know from Ant-Man and the Wasp, takes over the Scrooge role made famous in the 1992 film by Michael Caine. He appears with Kermit, Miss Piggy and Gonzo the Great, with Gonzo again serving as Charles Dickens for the performance.
That makes this an official reimagining, but not a new feature film. For anyone wondering whether Disney is quietly reviving the title for theaters, that is not what has been announced. The update is the ad itself, and it is rolling out now as part of Walmart's broader Who Knew campaign.
What it means for Disney and Muppets fans
The campaign arrives with new merchandise based on the movie, and Disney Store has also added fresh items tied to the holiday favorite. That matters most to collectors and longtime fans who have kept the film in seasonal rotation for years.
The Muppet Christmas Carol was directed by Brian Henson and adapted Charles Dickens' 1843 novella into a musical comedy with Muppet humor. More than three decades after its release, it still holds a firm place in holiday viewing, and this new campaign adds another official stop on that timeline. Recent seasons have already brought limited pin and plushie advent calendars, and Fall Out Boy also recorded a version of "It Feels Like Christmas" for Spotify Singles Holiday.
What has not changed is the movie's status. There is no confirmation that the new ad leads to a sequel or remake. Fans who want the original can still stream it on Disney+, where the extended cut with "When Love Is Gone" is available. The story is also available in The Muppet Christmas Carol: The Illustrated Holiday Classic, and UK audiences are set to get The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert Live to Film, which pairs the movie with a live orchestra playing the score.
