Disney Enlists Segel & Stoller for new Muppets movie

[Redsonga]

What just makes me nervous is this idea that they need to update themselves to appeal to an modern audience. First of all, I don't believe it's true; in real life plenty of people (including kids) watch older movies and TV shows. Second, history often shows that when entertainment tries to be something it's not, it doesn't gain a new audience for long and ends up upsetting the old one.

I'll stay optimistic for a new film, definitely, I'm just not into the modernize argument.

I agree. The fact that the muppets were not always modernized every generation (beyond Miss. Piggy's hair, and styles of music) it what made them truly timeless I think. And from what I have seen many of the next generation are discoving the older movies and loving them just as much as we did .

 

[CensoredAlso]

I think the difference is, in the old days they took pop culture and molded it in a weird way, which audiences responded to. But more recently they've sometimes allowed pop culture to mold them. And I don't think audiences have responded to that in a huge way. So more modernizing isn't the key to me.

 

[Erine81981]

Mind if I take a moment to comment?

Now, I haven't read the whole thread because, frankly, the whining really isn't doing anything for my constitution...but I have done some research on the Writer and Director of this potential next movie...and what I see is far far from High School Muppets, Janice and Stitch or any other sucky "I hate Muppets and can't even respect Disney" title you anti-Disney people can come up with.

Jason Segel has acted in many movies, including Knocked Up, and wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Everything that I have seen of him is anathama to the "Oooh, I am a fluffy Disney thing" feel. His movies are always ground-based, and realistic -- joining the ranks of 40 Year Old Virgin, Juno, and Super Bad.

He seems to act in movies that involve him being a down-to-earth realistic guy (His character of Sam in Alias was one of the first "Real-life-ish" people I'd seen on the show, and his appearence blew me away as one of the most memorable guests even though he was only there for one episode.)

The director wrote Fun With Dick and Jane, as well as an episode of Strangers With Candy, along with writing part of the soundtrack for Blades of Glory. (Segel also performed in soundtracks)

From what I have seen, we will get a movie that has a strong "Buddy-friendship" element...Fozzie and Kermit? Gonzo and Fozzie?...a HUGELY realistic take on the Muppts and Muppetdom. Pop-culture references that FIT (like the "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" poster in Knocked Up, rather than the "Girls Gone Wild" Mwoo reference.) We should expect original songs, even if they are more like Going to Go Back There, or Everyone Matters...rather than Cabin Fever. (There are great, sentemental, realistic songs in Knocked Up and Juno.)

So the last thing we need to worry about is Disney Disneyfying the thing, if anything be more concerned that there will be more nipple references and SEX jokes.

I am with you all the way on this Beau. Your are truely one of the Muppet Fans i wouldn't mind going to seeing a Muppet movie no matter who make them. If Disney wants to do whatever they do i'm fine with that. Yes there are some stuff that i wouldn't want to see Disney do but who really cares. As long as i get a Muppet movie of some kind i'm ok with that.

 

[Redsonga]

I think the difference is, in the old days they took pop culture and molded it in a weird way, which audiences responded to. But more recently they've sometimes allowed pop culture to mold them. And I don't think audiences have responded to that in a huge way. So more modernizing isn't the key to me.

That's the feeling I get to . And I love Disney at heart the same way that I love the muppets. Just because I have not loved the most current things they have done does not mean I love them as a whole any less than I ever did . Honestly, being a bit picky about my hopes for a new moive does not mean I am against the whole idea. As if they would ever listen to me anyway

 

[frogboy4]

I think the difference is, in the old days they took pop culture and molded it in a weird way, which audiences responded to. But more recently they've sometimes allowed pop culture to mold them. And I don't think audiences have responded to that in a huge way. So more modernizing isn't the key to me.

The retro music of "Muppets from Space" caused the characters to appear even more like artifacts of the past rather than viable characters that live and breath in modern culture.

I see the Muppets like Coca-Cola. They are most enduring in classic form. They can alter the image a bit, but too much tampering with the formula leaves a bad aftertaste.

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

What Disney can do is create, invest in and maintain high profile franchises. If they could generate even half the popularity for the new Muppet feature that HSM, Hanna Montana or Pirates has, then were all going to be pretty happy in a few years.

I was kidding everyone needs to calm down seriously sheesh!

Mind if I take a moment to comment?

Now, I haven't read the whole thread because, frankly, the whining really isn't doing anything for my constitution...but I have done some research on the Writer and Director of this potential next movie...and what I see is far far from High School Muppets, Janice and Stitch or any other sucky "I hate Muppets and can't even respect Disney" title you anti-Disney people can come up with.[/B]

Um I'm not anti Disney I'm Anti-crap and those teenie bopper empty minded movies are just that.
I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A LIGHT HEARTED WITTY JOKE ABOUT THE PAST FEW YEARS OF STUFF THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
SO PLEASE DON'T LUMP ME IN WITH THE HATERS.
K THANKS!

Why would you say that? Why? Why? (Although Pepe's New Groove sounds amazing!)
*ahem*
Where in any of Segel of Stoller's work have you seen anything that matches up to Disney purity or magic? Nowhere...Take enough of the gritty Segel realism and match it against Disney's pink magic and I think we have the workings of something great.
People, please take the time to get off your anti-disney hobby horses...

And people learn to take a joke, I think that Muppet fans seriously need to take a page from the muppet hand book and stop being so dang serious.
Once again I was making a light hearted joke at things they would have done no where did I bash anyone.
So I'll thank you to get off your high horse Beau *hands you mop*

btw! if I didn't think they where doing a good job I wouldn't of said this, now would I?

pft Disney is going to do what Disney wants to do reguardless of what some angry fans say online, and you know those people will be put in there place.
Disney should take all of this and go wow these people are hard core, make a great film and then give them something to chew on while having it tatse good mind you

You need to read everything everyone has said before you start pointing fingers Beau...

Maybe you should ask them...but I think you'll find that Brian Henson is quite busy having his arm humped by a weird puppet dog right now.

You know you get mad at people who make light of Disneys recent horrible direct to dvd past, and yet it's ok for you to make fun of Jim's Son and what he's up to now.
I'd much rather go to Puppet Up any day of the week than suffer through another episode of Hanna Bananna.

Why, yes you are!

No she's not, and you know, being rude and negative just because you think others are being a certain way isn't right Either Beau.

The retro music of "Muppets from Space" caused the characters to appear even more like artifacts of the past rather than viable characters that live and breath in modern culture.

I see the Muppets like Coca-Cola. They are most enduring in classic form. They can alter the image a bit, but too much tampering with the formula leaves a bad aftertaste.

Eggzactly!

 

[SarahOnBway]

TV Guide has a quick peek into the How I Met Your Mother relaunch party (it comes back on Monday and I encourage everyone to watch! 8:30 on CBS!) and most of the cast was too busy getting grilled about Britney Spear's guest spot to say anything else, but Jason did mention this:

Segel also discussed his moonlighting as a big-time Hollywood writer when he's not working on HIMYM. "I'm writing the script to the next Muppet movie," he said. "The fact that I have been sitting in front of my computer working on something that I used to love as a kid is really big for me. It's like a dream come true."

C'mon you nay-sayers. Doesn't that make you want to smile even a little bit? The original link is here: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-e...arty-Central-Latest/Met-Mother-Cast/800035546

And Beau--I can't remember that episode! I must break out my Alias DVDs to find it! (Actually I really don't have a good memory of the show after seasons 1 and 2--I watched it religiously but everything kinda blended together once Sydney lost the two years.)

 

[uppitymuppity]

That's awesome Sarah.... I'm so super excited after hearing that. I have good feelings about this one.

 

[CensoredAlso]

That's the feeling I get to . And I love Disney at heart the same way that I love the muppets. Just because I have not loved the most current things they have done does not mean I love them as a whole any less than I ever did. Honestly, being a bit picky about my hopes for a new moive does not mean I am against the whole idea. As if they would ever listen to me anyway.

Definitely, I don't think being picky or cautious is wrong at all. Supporting Disney/Muppets doesn't have to mean I support every project ever done.

The retro music of "Muppets from Space" caused the characters to appear even more like artifacts of the past rather than viable characters that live and breath in modern culture.

I see the Muppets like Coca-Cola. They are most enduring in classic form. They can alter the image a bit, but too much tampering with the formula leaves a bad aftertaste.

To be honest, when I saw that scene at the beginning of MFS, it never occured to me that the song was old. I mean, they play it all the time. But maybe that's just me, lol. ::shrugs::

I'm just not seeing this attitude from the general public, I'm not seeing them discriminate against entertaiment from the past.

But yeah the Coca-Cola analogy is a good one. There's definitely a fine line.

 

[Drtooth]

Oh because the Simpsons is suuuch a failed project...and sooo unsuccessfull...success of that type would be sooo bad for the Muppets...I am sooo being sarcastic right now...

Agreed, yes, but the current Simpsons writers couldn't have any less talent if they tried. We'd get more scenes of characters with funny voices saying funny things with funny accents, and not really being characters in their own right. Watch VMX and pay attention to Sam the Eagle. That was very close to what I'm talking about (referring to over use of lazy jokes about Cletus, Ralph, and Sideshow Mel saying random lines for a cheap laugh).

Anyway-

Um I'm not anti Disney I'm Anti-crap and those teenie bopper empty minded movies are just that.
I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A LIGHT HEARTED WITTY JOKE ABOUT THE PAST FEW YEARS OF STUFF THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
SO PLEASE DON'T LUMP ME IN WITH THE HATERS.
K THANKS!

That's what I got out of it as well. The casting of Ashanti in OZ pretty much was for that group. I could get on a huge rant about it, but you know my feelings about those shows now. it seems like the only thing Disney wants to focus on, and it disappoints me to no extent. Cheesy, terrible, cliched sitcoms that make Full House blush, with horrible fake pop music. I remember how the Monkees were almost publically stoned (biblical death sentence, not the other thing) for not playing their own instruments. Unfortunately, that garbage is popular.

I feel Disney has a wonderful catelogue of wonderful things they don't need to mess with for the lowest common denominator. They do not need to use poor covers of classic songs by prefab bands, and commercials using classic film footaged altered to have fart jokes (which were considered blasphemy in the 1960's) to sell timeless films like 101 Dalmations (the good, animated 60's one).

1. Brian Henson has his own gig now--full of humping dog puppets and bathroom humor. That's what he wants to do with his legacy and he ought to be left to it. If he were the one who was going to bring the Muppets back in all their glory, he'd have done it by now. I think we should wish him well and MOVE ON.

The voice of reason speaks. Good for you, this comment couldnt be more accurate imo. I doubt wed be seeing this kind of muppet project from the Henson company if they were still in charge.

I have to disagree. I actually hate hearing something like that. We're Muppet fans. We have to know that puppets aren't all kiddy entertainment. I think the new Henson Alternative projects are really showing promise for older groups. We wouldn't see this type of thing in the muppets, because it doesn't fit in with them. They can be adult, but it's a certain kind of sophisticated adult feel to them. You wouldn't see them put any kind of that into a scripted project anymore than you'd see Sesame Street characters acting like those horrible youtube videoes in their own show.

But does that mean we have to ban that attitude forever from Henson? No. look at the SNL skits (thought they weren't written by them). I feel that they intend for an older audience, while making something completely different for kids. I respect people's views on respectibility on TV, but just as long as they respect my opinion that if things are done artistically, and not for shock value, they have a place for everyone else.

That said, I'm gonna just sit by and wait until we find out what exactly these 2 intend to do with the Muppet Script. Rest assured, there is a chance it won't sell, and won't go into production. it's just a script, and not even written at this point. Anything could happen, positive or negative.

A script is just a script until someone picks it up and okays it, and it goes into preproduction. Then and only then do you have a project. Remember how many Muppet Scripts were floating around, unproduced? I'm not trying to be negative at all here. I'm just stopping this from becoming:

(Post- dated 3/200
"YAY! A new muppet script!"

(post- Date 6 /2009-)
"So, what's happening with ___________?"

(post - date 6/2010)

"Disney's screwing the fans again because ___________ went unproduced" (followed by 2 more years of hating and hyping up projects that don't exist).