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beaker
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I take it that the Muppet movie and Fraggle movies(and, Dark Crystal 2) won't be in theaters til 2010?
I can't help but also dream for a theatrical Sesame Street film in 2010....now wouldnt that be the ultimate trifecta?(1999 saw a theatrical Muppet and Sesame film of course)
2010 to be the 55 year anniversary of both the Muppets and Kermit the frog. (Rowlf the dog is also quite old) as it 1955 when Kermit and the Sam and Friends show started.
1958, 50 years ago this year, saw the first ever Muppet figures:
http://www.muppetcentral.com/collectibles/muppetpics/doll_wiltkins.jpg
According to that NY Times article, and both Disney and Henson press releases...2010 definitely seems like the full on return of the Muppets we've been waiting endlessly for.
Nothing would surprise me as far as seriously cool new announcements.
...but, 2009 seems like it will be quite the leadup. We're already having what looks like a theatrical looking film treatment for the Letters To Santa tv movie(the look, song, tone, ect feels like something we havent seen yet for a tv Muppet special...it looks like a movie in the theaters)
With Disney able to focus on the Muppets, Henson on Fraggle Rock, and Sesame Workshop able to focus on Sesame Street...it's perfect.
We can already expect a massive merchandise front in every conceivable way. Only thing now is a new tv series.
I LOVED the "Muppets Take over the NBC Today Show" thing,
and I could see a combination of the classic Muppet Show, *with* the Jim Henson Hour and live-ish segments. The Muppets are the funniest when its unscripted, on the street moments. Like Pepe and Rizzo interviewing people on the street for From The Balcony(Or Murray Monster for Sesame Street) I could see the Muppets having their own Total Request Live type studio situation in Time Square perhaps.
I think the focus should be several fold, which Disney already knows:
Ensure the Muppets have a huge new "hip with the college/teen kids" situation, much like offbeat slogan t shirts, geek culture and viral videos. If the youtube videos are *any* indication, there's a deep resonance within teen and college youth that see the Muppets as more than just "nostalgia" or "baby" stuff...but actually hip and current. Giving the Muppets a little bit of edge and off the cusp feel at times helps.
The other folds would be to make truly timeless, non pandering, smart children and family programming and media. There's been times when the Muppets just fail on every level...from their 2004 Christmas parade appearance to Muppet Wizard of Oz, or the early 1990 Classic Fairy Tale vhs series. These all seemed poorly ill conceived and ill written.
Now obviously, for legal reasons, only Muppet fan sites and the like can lump the Muppets(Disney), Fraggle Rock(Henson), Sesame Street(Sesame Workshop) all in as "Muppets"...
(I would also add in Henson Alternative brands like Puppet Up, as well as Disney's Bear in the Big Blue House, and Henson's Pajanimals, Animal Jam, ect) But we know these are all Muppet brands. And while there may not be plans to bring Bear in the Big Blue House back...
It's comforting to know that all three of the original flagship franchises(regardless who owns what legal rights) of Muppets, Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street are going full steam ahead.
I mean Fraggle Rock, who would have thought?
In 2009 we have:
Muppet comics
Whats assumed to be more Muppet appearances on tv than you can imagine
As of Toy Fair and elsewhere, we'll find out whats going to be coming out Muppet toy and merchandise wise. So we got the Merchandise part covered.
Though what do we know coming out wise for 2009, and 2010(besides the two films)?
Either way, I think it's safe to say the real Muppety renaissance we've been yearning and dreaming for all this time is finally almost upon us.
...maybe between 2009 and 2010, we'll finally see a new Muppetfest perhaps?
I can't help but also dream for a theatrical Sesame Street film in 2010....now wouldnt that be the ultimate trifecta?(1999 saw a theatrical Muppet and Sesame film of course)
2010 to be the 55 year anniversary of both the Muppets and Kermit the frog. (Rowlf the dog is also quite old) as it 1955 when Kermit and the Sam and Friends show started.
1958, 50 years ago this year, saw the first ever Muppet figures:
http://www.muppetcentral.com/collectibles/muppetpics/doll_wiltkins.jpg
According to that NY Times article, and both Disney and Henson press releases...2010 definitely seems like the full on return of the Muppets we've been waiting endlessly for.
Nothing would surprise me as far as seriously cool new announcements.
...but, 2009 seems like it will be quite the leadup. We're already having what looks like a theatrical looking film treatment for the Letters To Santa tv movie(the look, song, tone, ect feels like something we havent seen yet for a tv Muppet special...it looks like a movie in the theaters)
With Disney able to focus on the Muppets, Henson on Fraggle Rock, and Sesame Workshop able to focus on Sesame Street...it's perfect.
We can already expect a massive merchandise front in every conceivable way. Only thing now is a new tv series.
I LOVED the "Muppets Take over the NBC Today Show" thing,
and I could see a combination of the classic Muppet Show, *with* the Jim Henson Hour and live-ish segments. The Muppets are the funniest when its unscripted, on the street moments. Like Pepe and Rizzo interviewing people on the street for From The Balcony(Or Murray Monster for Sesame Street) I could see the Muppets having their own Total Request Live type studio situation in Time Square perhaps.
I think the focus should be several fold, which Disney already knows:
Ensure the Muppets have a huge new "hip with the college/teen kids" situation, much like offbeat slogan t shirts, geek culture and viral videos. If the youtube videos are *any* indication, there's a deep resonance within teen and college youth that see the Muppets as more than just "nostalgia" or "baby" stuff...but actually hip and current. Giving the Muppets a little bit of edge and off the cusp feel at times helps.
The other folds would be to make truly timeless, non pandering, smart children and family programming and media. There's been times when the Muppets just fail on every level...from their 2004 Christmas parade appearance to Muppet Wizard of Oz, or the early 1990 Classic Fairy Tale vhs series. These all seemed poorly ill conceived and ill written.
Now obviously, for legal reasons, only Muppet fan sites and the like can lump the Muppets(Disney), Fraggle Rock(Henson), Sesame Street(Sesame Workshop) all in as "Muppets"...
(I would also add in Henson Alternative brands like Puppet Up, as well as Disney's Bear in the Big Blue House, and Henson's Pajanimals, Animal Jam, ect) But we know these are all Muppet brands. And while there may not be plans to bring Bear in the Big Blue House back...
It's comforting to know that all three of the original flagship franchises(regardless who owns what legal rights) of Muppets, Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street are going full steam ahead.
I mean Fraggle Rock, who would have thought?
In 2009 we have:
Muppet comics
Whats assumed to be more Muppet appearances on tv than you can imagine
As of Toy Fair and elsewhere, we'll find out whats going to be coming out Muppet toy and merchandise wise. So we got the Merchandise part covered.
Though what do we know coming out wise for 2009, and 2010(besides the two films)?
Either way, I think it's safe to say the real Muppety renaissance we've been yearning and dreaming for all this time is finally almost upon us.
...maybe between 2009 and 2010, we'll finally see a new Muppetfest perhaps?
