Footage reused on Muppet Babies

Kermit appears as "Indiana Frog" in the opening theme song of Muppet Babies over footage from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The situations and humor of Muppet Babies relied heavily on incorporating footage from live action film and television productions.

This was not only a creative innovation, but a cost-cutting measure as well, as it reduced the need for expensive cel animation.

“I thought, "Here we've got this potential of these libraries of existing footage that cost almost nothing, so let's do a flip: Instead of going into the world of imagination in animation, let's take the world of animation, and go into imagination in reality!" ... Because you assume that the kids who are watching were identifying with the Babies in animation, when you went into the real footage, it took them into their own real world as they would imagine it if they were on a flight of fancy.”
—Michael K. Frith

While film footage was often from titles that had fallen into the public domain, some (including Star Wars) were still licensed to other production companies. While researching material for Jim Henson: The Biography (but ultimately omitted from the print edition), Brian Jay Jones learned from Muppet Babies producer and creative director Michael K. Frith that Lucasfilm footage wasn't always cleared for use before the episode was finalized, but added that the rights may have been procured after the fact.

The opening theme song featured clips from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Star Wars (1977).

Picture	Source	Year	Episode
	Gertie the Dinosaur	1914	Episode 210: The Great Muppet Cartoon Show
	It's a Gift	1923	Episode 308: The Daily Muppet
	The Lost World	1925	Episode 205: Out-of-This-World History
	The Phantom of the Opera	1925	Episode 710: Sing a Song of Superheroes
	Ella Cinders	1926	Episode 602: And Now a Word from Our Muppets
	The Phantom Empire	1935	Episode 205: Out-of-This-World History
	The Three Stooges: Pop Goes the Easel	1935	Episode 502: Beauty and the Schnoz
	My Man Godfrey	1936	Episode 808: Eight Flags Over the Nursery
	Things to Come	1936	Episode 401: Muppetland
	Undersea Kingdom	1936	Episode 112: From a Galaxy Far, Far Away...
	Undersea Kingdom	1936	Episode 405: Journey to the Center of the Nursery
	Tarzan's Revenge	1938	Episode 807: Hats, Hats, Hats
	Leave It to Roll-Oh	1940	Episode 603: Six-to-Eight Weeks
	Looney Tunes: Puss N' Booty	1943	Episode 606: Comic Capers
	Africa Screams	1949	Episode 714: ...At the Movies
	Cyrano de Bergerac	1950	Episode 502: Beauty and the Schnoz
	Missile to the Moon	1958	Episode 405: Journey to the Center of the Nursery
	The Blob	1958	Episode 408: Invasion of the Muppet Snackers
	The Wild Women of Wongo	1958	Episode 602: And Now a Word from Our Muppets
	Creature from the Haunted Sea	1961	Episode 509: Elm Street Babies
	The Terror	1963	Episode 702: Quoth the Weirdo
	Fantastic Voyage	1966	Episode 309: Scooter's Uncommon Cold
	Star Trek	1966	Episode 207: I Want My Muppet T.V.
	Oliver!	1968	Episode 408: Invasion of the Muppet Snackers
	The Sugarland Express	1974	Episode 511: Junkyard Muppets
	Spider-Man	1968	Episode 606: Comic Capers
	The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence	1975	Episode 802: Get Me to the Perch on Time
	The Muppet Show episode 223	1977	Episode 403: The Incredible Shrinking Weirdo
	Star Wars	1977	Episode 110: Gonzo's Video Show
	Star Wars	1977	Episode 303: The Weirdo Zone
	Attack of the Killer Tomatoes	1978	Episode 303: The Weirdo Zone
	The Muppet Movie	1979	Episode 109: Close Encounters of the Frog Kind
	The Great Muppet Caper	1981	Episode 213: When You Wish Upon a Muppet
	E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial	1982	Episode 108: What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
	The Dark Crystal	1982	Episode 312: Fine Feathered Enemies
	The Dark Crystal	1982	Episode 702: Quoth the Weirdo
	Ghostbusters	1984	Episode 207: I Want My Muppet T.V.
	Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom	1984	Episode 104: Raiders of the Lost Muppet
	Sesame Street Episode 1964	1984	Episode 308: The Daily Muppet
	The Muppets Take Manhattan	1984	Episode 208: Musical Muppets
	Runaway	1984	Episode 408: Invasion of the Muppet Snackers
	Family Ties "The Real Thing, Part 2"	1985	Episode 406: This Little Piggy Went to Hollywood
	Transylvania 6-5000	1985	Episode 502: Beauty and the Schnoz
	Ferris Bueller's Day Off	1986	Episode 605: Not Necessarily the Babies
	Howard the Duck	1986	Episode 502: Beauty and the Schnoz
	Pretty in Pink	1986	Episode 406: This Little Piggy Went to Hollywood
	Labyrinth	1986	Episode 704: Babes in Troyland
	Labyrinth	1986	Episode 805: Nice to Have Gnome You
	Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" music video	1986	Episode 507: Scooter By Any Other Name
	Batteries Not Included	1987	Episode 501: Muppets Not Included
	Star Trek: The Next Generation	1987	Episode 707: A Punch Line to the Tummy
	Teen Wolf Too	1987	Episode 509: Elm Street Babies
	Teen Wolf Too	1987	Episode 509: Elm Street Babies
	Roxanne	1987	Episode 502: Beauty and the Schnoz
	Short Circuit 2	1988	Episode 714: ...At the Movies
	Under the Boardwalk	1988	Episode 610: The New Adventures of Kermo Polo
	The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson	1980s	Episode 207: I Want My Muppet T.V.
	Beauty and the Beast	1980s	Episode 502: Beauty and the Schnoz
	Roy Rogers Republic Pictures movies	Unknown (1930s-1950s range)	Episode 604: The Green Ranger

Muppet Babies (2018)

Picture	Source	Year	Episode
	Raiders of the Lost Ark	1981	Episode 101: Sir Kermit the Brave / Animal Fly Airplane
	Star Wars: Return of the Jedi	1983	Episode 307: Muppet Space Camp / The Best Best Friend Beach Day