Claim: The Jim Henson Company was the producer of a movie featuring the Muppets.

The Muppet Movie is a 1979 British-American musical road comedy film and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets . Directed by James Frawley and produced by Jim Henson , the film 's screenplay was written by The Muppet Show writers Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns . An American and British venture produced by Henson Associates and ITC Entertainment between the first half and the second half of the third season of The Muppet Show , the film depicts Kermit the Frog as he embarks on a cross-country trip to Hollywood , California . Along the way , he encounters several of the Muppets -- who all share the same ambition of finding success in professional show business -- while being pursued by Doc Hopper , an evil restaurateur with intentions of employing Kermit as a spokesperson for his frog legs business .   Notable for its surreal humour , meta-references and prolific use of cameos , The Muppet Movie was released in the United Kingdom on May 31 , 1979 and in the United States on June 22 , 1979 , and received critical praise ; including two Academy Award nominations for Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher 's musical score and their song , `` The Rainbow Connection '' . In 2009 , the film was deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry .