D23 Expo: Muppet news and happenings

[Drtooth]

To quote Monty Python: "I'm not dead!"

This is obviously off-topic, but since you mentioned it here, I'll comment.

I have a new direct-to-DVD movie in the works that ISN'T DC heroes. I can't say much more than that until it's officially announced, but it's a funny animal franchise that the company owns.

Also, they are doing a new Looney Tunes series for TV, as well as another new Scooby series.

So, as you can see, they're not quite dead yet.

That is indeed good to hear. Seems like they were totally lost no thanks to the demise of Kid's WB. Really annoyed the heck out of me.

 

[beaker]

Palisades Action Figure Line... four of the most important words in Muppet merchandising history. And we did get VMX and stuff too... that resurgence from 2002-2004 was a fan's dream come true. I remember just walking to any store and not being able to punt a football without hitting something.

Correct. The 2002-2004 period(EMTV/JHC ownership, pre Disney Feb 2004 buyout) was by far THE biggest Muppet merchandise saturation since the early to mid 1980's. By far. Everywhere I went, Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, Bear in the Big Blue House. It was nuts.

We also had the really good(IMHO) VMX movie, the Muppets on an insane amount of commercials on tv(Mastercard, Long John Silvers, Pizza Hut), tieins(NASCAR, etc), Muppets in pop culture and MTV, etc.

Since the Muppets buyout by Disney, 2004-2009? Uh....well, we
had Oz which I personally disliked a lot. We have had Letters to Santa which I *did* like a lot, as short as it was. But it appears 2010 is when the real tidal wave should hit(luck willing)

 

[Kynan Barker]

Muppet fans are lucky that Disney are giving them this much attention in terms of new material.

Hi Amy!

Believe me, I'm happy that Disney is finally giving the Muppets a big push -- and by all accounts, the people involved, from Dick Cook down through Lylle Breier and the rest of the Muppets Studios staff, are all big fans just like you (and me).

But with respect, I have to disagree with this:

But no, we're getting Tonner Dolls and DVDs and new holiday specials and a movie and sketch videos and Whatnots and a slew of other stuff for all ages.

Disney's not giving us all this stuff. They're selling it to us. Disney bought the Muppets to make money from them, and we as Disney's customers vote with our wallets.

As a fan, I don't think there's a whole lot to be gained from whining and moaning about every little thing that displeases me. But the assumption that we should be grateful for anything Disney deems fit to release, because if we criticize them they might get upset and stop releasing stuff, seems misguided.

I'm grateful that the vast majority of the Muppet products Disney is now releasing (your comics included) has been of such high quality. But I want to encourage that high quality in every aspect of the Muppets, including (and most especially) the performance.

That's my issue here: That by apparently cutting corners, by taking the performances for granted, Disney is actually risking all the good work they're putting in elsewhere.

We're Disney's customers. If we don't complain, who will?

 

[Nick22]

i can't believe that we have people complaining. i can't freakin believe it. i don't care if it's just one person, but seriously. wow. WOW. that's nuts.

i'm super excited and grateful for all this new stuff that we're getting next year. i'm so anxious! i don't know if i can wait!

i love LTS. i thought it was rully good. not amazing, but it was good.

 

[muppets2]

i can't believe that we have people complaining. i can't freakin believe it. i don't care if it's just one person, but seriously. wow. WOW. that's nuts.

i'm super excited and grateful for all this new stuff that we're getting next year. i'm so anxious! i don't know if i can wait!

i love LTS. i thought it was rully good. not amazing, but it was good.

yea it was pretty good but not the blow out of the century

 

[Nick22]

yea it was pretty good but not the blow out of the century

exactly. definitely not the best, not even close. but it was good. and enjoyable. imagine how good it could've been if they didn't rush it.

 

[muppets2]

exactly. definitely not the best, not even close. but it was good. and enjoyable. imagine how good it could've been if they didn't rush it.

wow it would have been as good as sliced bread

 

[hoopless]

LTS was awesome and whoever said it had no soul earlier is just wrong. Remember "I wish I could be Santa Claus"? good enough to be nominated for an emmy!

I'm really excited for all the new stuff, it seems like they're making some real effort with them at last.

 

[Drtooth]

I'm grateful that the vast majority of the Muppet products Disney is now releasing (your comics included) has been of such high quality. But I want to encourage that high quality in every aspect of the Muppets, including (and most especially) the performance.

That's my issue here: That by apparently cutting corners, by taking the performances for granted, Disney is actually risking all the good work they're putting in elsewhere.

We're Disney's customers. If we don't complain, who will?

Not buying the stuff? Of yeah... that's giving them the message to pass on the whole thing and just give us another "Twween pop sensation" with the same music written by the same people.

Can we really judge the entire direction they're going with 2 lousy live performances on... quite frankly... a crummy reality TV show and a cheap gag? If they continue to use Artie and Steve has left/had his contract expire/pass on in favor with cheaper sound-a-likes/abducted by aliens/Shanghaied in Shanghai on a junk full of junk/insert speculative conspiracy theory here, sure.. I'll be annoyed. If we dive into a soulless group of crappy reality TV performances, sure... I'll be annoyed. But not supporting the franchise is NOT going to give us higher quality stuff... It's gonna give us NOTHING at all.

And TRUST me on this one.... I'm a TMNT fan. We complained our butts off about the movie, the TV show, the DVD releases, the toys... and guess what we have for the amazing 25th anniversary? A couple sexual innuendo magnets, a couple t-shirts at hot Topic, and a DTV movie that's been done, but no one's going to distribute it. The series is over, we got no sequal to TMNT, there isn't any toy line anymore... there's nothing left./ Sure, we got some reprint comics... but that's about it. Poser merchandise from hot Topic people who weren't even alive in the 80's wear because it's cool. I DO NOT want to see that happen here.

We've seen LTS... we've read the comics. We've seen the web videos. That proves they can do it right. I say we give them a chance here... at least. Wait for the next project... and if it gets canceled or sucks, THEN we can complain.

 

[MelissaY1]

I haven't posted here in forever, but I thought I'd stop by and say that the presentation yesterday was really very cool. A lot of good announcements (sooo excited that the Whatnots are coming to Disney parks with monsters and additional features), though more details on the movie and parks promotion would have been appreciated. They did say that they were remastering MuppetVision in Disney Digital 3D, and while this may or may not be technically accurate, the fact that they're doing anything with it at all gives me hope that they plan on keeping the movie and not replacing it with a Narnia 3D like they have been rumored to want to do (at least in California).

The real highlight was the meet & greet at the end. I was lucky enough to be seated right by the exit and was one of the first in line (though I probably would have waited all day). Gonzo complimented my shirt, and while I was distracted talking to him (yes, I was talking to Gonzo, not Dave Goelz- it really felt like that) Pepe and Fozzie asked about my wife. Since I didn't answer right away, Pepe said, "Not wife? Girlfriend?" very flirtatiously. Truly amazing experience, the highlight of the whole convention. This picture is one of my favorite things ever:
Me and the Muppets!

Great photo!