Movie and Film Profile: Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

Muppet Treasure Island was generally released theatrically on February 16, 1996. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures in association with Jim Henson Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel, Treasure Island. 

DFME Rating: ★★★¾☆ (3.75 out of 5 stars)

Caution: Possible Spoilers Ahead!

Young Jim Hawkins lives at the Admiral Benbow Inn with his friends Gonzo and Rizzo when a dying pirate, Billy Bones, leaves behind a treasure map leading to Captain Flint’s hidden fortune. Inspired by the promise of adventure, Jim joins Squire Trelawney and Captain Smollett aboard the Hispaniola to find the treasure.

The ship’s cook, Long John Silver, befriends Jim and becomes a mentor figure. However, Silver secretly leads a crew of pirates planning a mutiny once they reach Treasure Island. Upon arrival, the pirates seize control of the ship, forcing Jim and his allies into hiding.

Jim encounters Benjamina Gunn, a stranded islander who reveals that the treasure has already been moved. When the pirates discover that the treasure chest is empty, they turn on Silver. In the end, Silver chooses not to harm Jim and allows the rightful crew to reclaim the treasure. Jim returns home wiser from the adventure, while Silver escapes to seek another voyage.

The soundtrack for Muppet Treasure Island was released on February 6, 1996.  It was scored by Hans Zimmer with songs written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Songs and music on the soundtrack include “Shiver My Timbers,” “Something Better,” Sailing for Adventure,” “Cabin Fever,” “A Professional Pirate,” “Boom Shakalaka,” “Love Led Us Here,” and “Love Power.”

First released on home media (VHS) on September 10, 1996. First released on LaserDisc on February 19, 1997. First released on DVD on June 4, 2002. Re-released on DVD on November 29, 2005, as. Kermit’s 50th Anniversary Edition. Released for the first time on Blu-ray + DVD on December 10, 2013, in a 2-disc Muppety Adventures along with The Great Muppet Caper. Muppet Treasure Island is available on Disney+ as of February 16, 2026. 

CAST & CREW

• Director: Brian Henson
• Producer(s): Brian Henson, Martin G. Baker
• Screenplay: Jerry Juhl, Kirk R. Thatcher, James V. Hart
• Cinematography: John Fenner
• Editor: Michael Jablow
• Art Director: Alan Cassie
• Music: Barry Mann (Songs), Cynthia Weil (Songs), Hans Zimmer (Music)
• Cast: Tim Curry (as Long John Silver), Billy Connolly (as Billy Bones), Jennifer Saunders (as Mrs. Bluveridge), Kevin Bishop (as Jim Hawkins)
• Voice Cast: Dave Goelz (voice of The Great Gonzo, Dr. Brunsen Honeydew, Waldorf, Mudwell the  Mudbunny, Zoot), Steve Whitmire (voice of Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker), Jerry Nelson (voice of Statler, Blind Pew, Mad Monty, Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Tomato, Pirate, Skulls, Trelawney’s Butler, Screaming Cat), Kevin Clash (voice of Bad Polly, Black Dog, Spa’am, Chicken, Walleyed Pike, Monkey, Pirate, Real Old Tom), Bill Barretta (voice of Clueless Morgan, Swedish Chef, Blind Pew, Pirate, Pig, Skulls), Frank Oz (Miss Piggy, Fozzie the Bear, Sam the Eagle, Animal), John Henson (voice of Sweetums), Danny Blackner (voice of Short Stack Stevens), Peter Geeves (voice of Black Eyed Pea), Harry Jones (Easy Pete), David Nicholls (voice of Captain Flint), Frederick Warder (voice of Calico Jerry), Louis Gold (voice of Female Tourist Rat, Rat Tour Guide)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• MPAA Rating: G
• Runtime: 99 minutes
• Sound: Dolby Digital, Dolby Stereo
• Format: Color
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Genre(s): Adventure, Comedy, Live-Action (from movies.disney.com)

BOX OFFICE (from IMDb.com)

• Budget: N/A
• Opening Weekend (U.S. & Canada): $7,906,689
• Gross (U.S. & Canada): $34,327,391
• Gross (Worldwide): $34,327,766

RATINGS

• My Rating: 3.75 (out of 5)
• Rotten Tomatoes: 71% (Tomatometer) | 77% (Popcornmeter)
• Metacritic: 64 (Metascore) | 73% (User Score)
• IMDb: 6.9 (out of 10)
• The Movie DB: 67% (User Score)
• Letterboxd: 3.6 (out of 5)
• Combined Rating: 70.43 (minus my rating)

MY THOUGHTS
Muppet Treasure Island is a lively and clever adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. It blends the classic pirate adventure with the signature Muppet humor. Tim Curry’s standout performance and the musical numbers elevate the film above the typical family film with humor for both adults and children. 

Have you seen Muppet Treasure Island? Share your thoughts in the comment section. 

Great care has been taken to be as accurate as possible when it comes to details in each of the entries I post. As with anything, mistakes can happen, dates can be wrong, information not readily available, etc. If you see a mistake, information that is incorrect or inaccurate, or missing information, please contact me at disneymovieandfilmencyclopedia@gmail.com so I can make corrections.