It's Official: Disney completes Muppet acquisition

[Fozzie Bear]

Having the Muppets owned by Disney HAS to be better than having them owned by some bankrupt German media conglomerate, right? (Please be right...)(Hmmm, does making a CG Muppet project qualify as replacing Steve Whitmire? I'll have to think about that one...)

You're absolutely right about the EM.TV thing, and I said that was a doomed deal when the news about it first developed. I'm just torn on the whole Disney thing. Oh, and if they DO go CG with Muppets then yes it is practically replacing Steve Whitmire if they use him for little more than a voice anymore. The problem with CGIing characters is that the movie companies try TOO HARD to make the characters more lifelike and then the result is that the characters are too fake. Yoda in the new Star Wars films, for example; or E.T. in the new edition.

 

[Dash X]

I'm willing to tolerate crap and pap merchandising, as long as there's a good movie at the base of it. So does anyone know if, and in what capacity Jerry Juhl's input is now the acquisition, has he written the screenplay for the Wizard of Oz project?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

From what I read Disney wants to do more with this character but he is co-owned by Touchtone and Amblin ...Because of this there are many legal issues ...I personally wish they can settle these issues and get over it. The shorts they made in the early 90's are fantastic!!

I wish they would, too. I loved seeing Daffy and Donald paired up among other characters. I always wished a TV series called "Toontown Chronicles" could come to TV and have all the characters mixed in together from different companies, etc. That would never happen, though.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I'm willing to tolerate crap and pap merchandising, as long as there's a good movie at the base of it. So does anyone know if, and in what capacity Jerry Juhl's input is now the acquisition, has he written the screenplay for the Wizard of Oz project?

Jerry Juhl (per my remembrance) left the company during Muppets From Space, or just before. I doubt he's done anything recently, but I would think Disney a VERY smart company if they would pull him out of retirement when (if) they (hopefully) start a new tv series! That would rock my world and perk my interest in their company back up!

 

[beaker]

Jerry Juhl (per my remembrance) left the company during Muppets From Space, or just before. I doubt he's done anything recently, but I would think Disney a VERY smart company if they would pull him out of retirement when (if) they (hopefully) start a new tv series! That would rock my world and perk my interest in their company back up!

Thats another reason why the Muppets went down hill...they lost Juhl! Anything that comes out of that guys pen in regards to the Muppets is pure gold.

And Warrick, from a historic perspective, Im sure it must bother you somehow it is no longer (in cursive handwiriting) Jim Henson's Muppets. It's now Walt Disney's Muppets.

Someone mentioned some good examples of properties Disney bought from other companies, hyped for a bit then let go. However, if Eisner truly does have a endlessly devout respect as he claims, then they will do what JHC could never do in the modern age. So withthat prospect Im with ya Warrick.

Sad to think by the end of 2002 we were looking at a whole new direction, albeit more 'edgy', for the Muppets.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

If you re-read everything they have planned, it all sounds good. I hope Disney will pull all that stuff (EXCEPT the CGI Muppets) off and get us some good productions and merchandise!! Oh, and let Palisades keep that license for as long as they want it!

 

[Traveling Matt]

Does anyone know exactly how much creative input Henson has in this deal? Beyond the initial three year period the first press release stated?

The "non-exclusive production and consulting agreements" sounds promising. Let's just hope Henson will always have a say in the quality of work the Muppets do.

 

[Rowlf's Roadie]

Will Chris Curtin be doing the Muppets only and not the other Disney products? I'd hate to see Gonzo be confused with Stitch. Go to savedisney.com and get Michael Eisner out of the picture!

 

[dbarrie]

As I wrote in an earlier discussion thread, this deal was 14 years in the making...

Now that it is all signed, sealed and delivered, I hope that this will, in the long run, be a good thing for both parties involved. I make no apologies in saying that I am very excited about the possible things that we can look forward to, like new movies, another TV series, and maybe complete DVD sets of TMS and MT. That's what I would like to see come out of this deal. As for so-called "crappy merchandise," EVERY company we know and/or love has produced them at one time or another, so I don't think it's fair to attack one high-profile company for making them. Consumers are usually well-informed and can distingish between what's good and what's bad (at least I hope so).

Let's all try and be optimistic, and wish nothing but the best for Disney and JHP.

OI MuppetFan

 

[beaker]

As I wrote in an earlier discussion thread, this deal was 14 years in the making...

to buy JHC I bleieve with Sesame...not the Muppets outright, right?