Disney Acquisition Request: Bagdasarian Productions

[Steve Arino]

Dear Bob Chapek,

I have a proposal for The Walt Disney Company: as I'm sure you know, per this link at https://insidethemagic.net/2021/11/alvin-the-chipmunks-on-sale-js1/ the rights to the Alvin & the Chipmunks franchise are PRESENTLY on sale for $300 million.

That being said, it's my VERY Humble Suggestion that Disney (which already owns the movie rights via its 20th Century Studios banner) go all in and purchase the entire Alvin & the Chipmunks franchise for $300 million.

Previously, during the early and mid 1990s, Disney released various "Alvin" VHS Tapes via its Buena Vista Home Entertainment banner, and with this Acquisition, The Walt Disney Company would PERMANENTLY welcome Alvin & the Chipmunks and Bagdasarian Productions to The Walt Disney Company family.

Whereas Disney would continue to issue the 2010s films under its 20th CS banner on various platforms e.g. 4K HD, Blu Ray and DVD, once Disney's Bagdasarian Productions Acquisition is Complete, Disney would begin releasing Classic "Alvin & the Chipmunks" content on DVD and Blu Ray, with certain titles on Ultra 4K HD e.g. "The Chipmunk Adventure" theatrical film from 1987.

Among the content Disney would issue on DVD and/or Blu Ray include several titles available for the first time EVER on Home Video, such as "The Alvin Show: The Complete Series," all 26 half-hour episodes of the 1961 Prime-Time Cartoon "The Alvin Show" available for the first time EVER 100% Complete, 100% Uncut, AND 100% Unedited, as each episode originally aired on CBS from October 4, 1961 - September 5, 1962 for 26 half-hour Cartoon episodes in Prime-Time.

Likewise, Disney would also issue the Saturday-morning Cartoon show "Alvin & the Chipmunks," in Season Formats on DVD, as originally broadcast on NBC from September 17, 1983 - September 7, 1991 for 8 full successful seasons.

Of all the Studios that could POTENTIALLY purchase "Alvin & the Chipmunks," The Walt Disney Company, in my opinion, is THE best Company to do so.

Sincerely,
Steve Arino

 

[D'Snowth]

After they learned their lesson the hard way when they sold The Chipmunks franchise to Universal in the 90s, Bagdasarian Productions is not about to sell out again, especially considering how super-protective Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. and Janice Karman have been of the characters and their IP ever since they sued to get them back.

They inspect every aspect of the franchise with a fine-toothed comb, and are reportedly notoriously hard to work with - they even didn't work well with 20th Century Fox when they produced and distributed those crummy live-action/CGI movies.