Disney Enlists Segel & Stoller for new Muppets movie

[Drtooth]

As some of you may or may not be aware of, Disney recently announced that they would no longer be involved with the Narnia film series. This gives me a few doubts about the progess of this film, it'd probably be more risky to make a new muppets movie than another Narnia movie, but then again a muppet movie would have a much lower budget. I guess we'll all have to wait for that greenlight.

Well, consider this...

The Narnia film series had extremely high budgets, and while the first one was a smash, the second was released during a horrible time, in the middle of the summer right after Iron Man and just before Indiana Jones.... and while Speed Racer didn't do all that well either, Narnia fell into the shuffle. Had they released it at Christmas, as an alternative to Twilight (not going into any religious things here or there) they would have no doubt done better with the second one. But then again, it would have to compete with Disney's 2 other films High School Musical 3 and Bolt (and for reasons I won't go into, Disney would have rather had them be big hits, more so the former)... Not to mention that between The Iron Man, Dark Knight, Indian Jones, Hulk, Kung Fu Panda, and the ever reliable Star Wars merchandise, Target, TRU, and even the Disney Stores are desperately trying to get rid of the Narnia toys (which weren't even that successful when the first movie was).

I think they will try to gamble with one Muppet Movie at least. I think they might have been happy with LTS's moderate ratings and the reviews have been alright (not as negative as OZ was, which was their stumbling block)... plus, while these 2 are still big names, Disney would be happy to accommodate them.

 

[frogboy4]

As some of you may or may not be aware of, Disney recently announced that they would no longer be involved with the Narnia film series. This gives me a few doubts about the progess of this film, it'd probably be more risky to make a new muppets movie than another Narnia movie, but then again a muppet movie would have a much lower budget. I guess we'll all have to wait for that greenlight.

I have to agree with Tooth on this - one has little to do with the other. A Muppet film will not have near the cost of a Narnia film. The last picture cost $200 million dollars! A Muppet film usually costs well under $30 million. It's easier for Disney to gain a profit from the Muppets than Narnia and there are endless merchandising benefits with the Muppet gang that they own in full. Disney was right to nix Narnia. It's too much of a high-stakes gamble that failed to regain its budget domestically in the last outing. A Muppet film is sure to at least gain back its budget and more within months of its release.

 

[Super Scooter]

Muppet movies haven't really ever made as much as a typical "blockbuster" would, but they're still successful films.

Just to give you an idea, compare these figures to the nearly 2 billion dollars made worldwide by 2008's most successful film, The Dark Knight:

1. The Muppet Movie (1979) - $65,200,000
2. The Dark Crystal (1982) - $40,577,001
3. Muppet Treasure Island (1996) - $34,327,391
4. The Great Muppet Caper (1981) - $31,206,251
5. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - $27,281,507
6. The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) - $25,534,703
7. Muppets from Space (1999) - $16,625,807
8. Follow that Bird (1985) - $13,961,370
9. Labyrinth (1986) - $12,729,917
10. The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999) - $11,683,047

Successful, for the most part, but nowhere NEAR the figures that big-budget fantasy films of the last few years would make.

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Muppet/Henson_Films_by_Box_Office_Grosses

Who's with me in doing all we can to see this new Muppet movie exceed even The Muppet Movie0's box office gross?

 

[frogboy4]

I'd say yes to that (not counting inflation adjustments). Dare I say...but it the first Garfield film could make 75 million than so can the Muppets new adventure.

 

[dwayne1115]

Before there movie even really gets off the ground they need at least a siries even if it is Studio DC Almost live.

 

[frogboy4]

Before there movie even really gets off the ground they need at least a siries even if it is Studio DC Almost live.

Really? Have you heard something because that's not what I've gathered that they're doing. I just thought they'd build up to the movie with a series of specials, but not an actual television series. That, I felt, would come after a successful film.

 

[dwayne1115]

No i was just going with what worked for them in the past. With first the Muppet Show and then the Muppet Movie. I think that no matter if they keep doing what there doing on the net, to just doing more speacles would be good. I think however if people just have small portians of the Muppets they wouldnt last through a whole movie. Ya know what I mean?

 

[GuySmileyfan]

I think Tim Burton is too dark to be the director for the Muppets. He's a great director, but I don't know he'll be a perfect director for the Muppets. I think either Frank Oz or Kirk Thatcher.

 

[theprawncracker]

No i was just going with what worked for them in the past. With first the Muppet Show and then the Muppet Movie. I think that no matter if they keep doing what there doing on the net, to just doing more speacles would be good. I think however if people just have small portians of the Muppets they wouldnt last through a whole movie. Ya know what I mean?

I disagree, actually. I think a movie is needed to build up a new fanbase large enough to warrant another TV series. A movie is a guaranteed way to attract a large number of people to the Muppets--a TV show doesn't guarantee that. I think right now, the focus needs to be on spectacular specials throughout 2009(started with Letters to Santa) and then a feature film in 2010. Which seems to be the plan.

Besides... getting a new TV show off the ground this late in the game probably wouldn't work... By the time the movie rolled around, the show would barely be in its first season.

 

[GuySmileyfan]

I just hope this new film will be better than Muppets From Space.