Disney Takes Muppet Script Through Pixar

[frogboy4]

Oh please... there is no call for this constant pessimism with Disney, Snowthy. They've shown more times than you realize that they are taking the Muppets in the right direction, and they are taking TIME and MONEY to focus on them. Having Pixar look at the script is just another in a huge list of things they've done to prove that--especially with this film. Why can't you be confident here? Disney hasn't made a misstep since Studio DC. I challenge you to name one.

I must admit to being taken-back by hearing that the new Muppet film we thought was green lighted is now not officially green lighted...yet. But Disney's taking the script to Pixar tells us that they want to make something enduring and not disposable like the last couple of television movies have been. They were good efforts, but far underdeveloped.

Sure, I like the stock writing staff and directors used over the past decade, but it’s time to shake things up because for whatever reason something’s been missing. Disney has unfortunately become more of a product turnstile and less of the innovator it once was. Pixar hasn’t fallen in that trap yet. They are brutal when it comes to pitching a story. No kid-gloves.

I had the opportunity to talk to a couple of Pixar artists we featured in an event at my toy shop last week and they explained a little bit of that to me. Who knew they were getting the Muppet script days later? They spoke of why the much anticipated “Newt” was shelved and how every Pixar movie goes through a phase of awfulness until reaching the moment when it either clicks or gets stuffed back in the archives.

This is the closest a Muppet project has been to revisiting what the brand once was. What the name used to mean to us. This is not merely some writer or director trying to make their mark. It’s not some hack recycling faded or awkward jokes. It’s not some studio trying to candy-coat Kermit for the kiddies. This project is about telling a good story in the classic tradition of the Muppets that can work in modern cinema for an audience of all ages.

There should only be optimism at this point. They've got the better part of a year to get this ready for production in time for the 2011 holiday season.

 

[Mupp]

Oh please... there is no call for this constant pessimism with Disney, Snowthy.

Yeah, here we go again...

Lets PLEASE try to be cautiously optimistic right now? PLEASE?

With all due respect Snowth, most people are not in the mood for pessimism right now. Its falling to deaf ears at this point.


Melissa-- I assure you, all of the recent animated films from Disney have been better. Ever since the corporate shake-up making Bob Iger CEO, and Lasseter chief creative officer at Disney Animation, quality has been given the front seat again. A well-written animated film is their top priority again...

Lasseter also has some creative input at Walt Disney Imagineering.


Getting back to the Muppet film, I have been wondering when we might see a teaser trailer for the film...

Initially I was thinking that there might be one in front of Tron Legacy. Though now I'm thinking that might be a bit early. Of course, we all know that film companies love to promote their films early on.

Any guesses?

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

Sure, Cars wasn't the best film they made, but it's still leaps and bounds over most.

I was a little disappointed with Cars when I first saw it, but it has grown on me.

I think it was a victim of 'What people expect' vs. 'What it actually is'. The marketing department chose to focus most of their campaign on the fast-paced racing aspect that only played into the beginning and towards the end of the film, as opposed to the quiet, small town story that it actually was.

People went in expecting a fast-paced story, didn't like the film when it wasn't and never gave it a second chance, hence a lot of people's opinion that it was a bad movie.

 

[Drtooth]

I had the opportunity to talk to a couple of Pixar artists we featured in an event at my toy shop last week and they explained a little bit of that to me. Who knew they were getting the Muppet script days later? They spoke of why the much anticipated “Newt” was shelved and how every Pixar movie goes through a phase of awfulness until reaching the moment when it either clicks or gets stuffed back in the archives.

Yeah... is it true that Newt was shelved because 2 lamer CGI animation studios basically ripped the idea right out from under them? I'm sure they really didn't like that, especially since Dreamworks did that twice to them. Though, i sheepishly admit, I kinda liked Antz just a tiny bit better.

Anyway, I have nothing BUT faith in Disney and the Muppets, unlike Henson. Disney only dumped 2 projects, and that's because they would never have been finished in time (and they sounded bleh to me), and one more on indefinite hiatus at least until the movie's finished filming. Sure, the movie isn't greenlit yet... but how long has it been? 2008... since the rumors cracked? That's nothing. How long have we waited to see the Fraggle Film? Much, much longer. We had the treatment written by one of the Zappas... a year of nothing... someone announced to write the script... a year of nothing... slight progress, months of nothing, slight progress, months of nothing, slight progress, months of nothing, slight progress, months of nothing, slight progress, months of nothing, OOPS! We want to go in a different direction to save our fakey not independent studio... Plllbt! How long have we waited for Dark Crystal 2? How many supposed directors did we go through before we even had a working script? Happy Time Murders film? All we've seen come out of Henson are hit or miss products that go no where.

What happened to SUDS? We got one episode. We had some show on the Logo channel that no one saw, and the only progress they made is Sid the Science Kid and Puppet Up... I think both are great. But again, those dumb CGI fairy tales with a 'tude DTV movies that I have lost all interest in wanting to see.

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

This is the closest a Muppet project has been to revisiting what the brand once was. What the name used to mean to us. This is not merely some writer or director trying to make their mark. It’s not some hack recycling faded or awkward jokes. It’s not some studio trying to candy-coat Kermit for the kiddies. This project is about telling a good story in the classic tradition of the Muppets that can work in modern cinema for an audience of all ages.

Yes! And now with input from the folks responsible for (in my opinion) the very best all-ages family storytelling in decades!

 

[RedPiggy]

We had some show on the Logo channel that no one saw

*sniffle* I saw Tinseltown. I thought it was a hoot. True, it was more like a sketch ... but I thought it might have some potential.

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah... but good show or not, somehow Henson lacks confidence to actually finish a project, and it doesn't have that push behind it, nor the backing it should get. Sid and Puppet Up have that push and backing... and they need more solid clarity and focus when it comes to projects. Might have to say Adios to Weinstine and find a better company for the Fraggle Film if they ever want it to get made. But other than that, they had all these little internet side projects that went no where... some dub cowboy show... SUDs, which I was REALLY looking forward too...

Face it, Henson's got a low batting average. And while we had a miserable time after the hideous MupOz movie (could you blame them? Really... could you?) once the first Beaker video hit Youtube, we knew something was going down. Muppets at Disney XD... movie nothing... that's progress. Especially since Disney's just coming out of that awkward Post Eisner wet behind the ears Iger era of lame tween pop project after another, ignoring the other stuff they had. Now Disney knows where it stands itself... and I don't just mean with the Muppets... I mean on the whole. They bought the Disney store back from Children's Place... that was on the verge of going extinct, leaving malls to be dull boutique after dull boutique of overpriced garbage (especially since KB and Suncoast went belly up, and FYE is handing by a thread). That's daring. That's a risk.

I can now forgive Disney for being uber cautious. They want the next Muppet thing to go over HUGE! Think about it... they need to take their time with the movie, so it won't seem as rushed as MupOz or even LTS. There's no way there could be a weekly TV show anywhere unless the movie does well... they seem to have plans after the movie, but they're not saying anything so we don't look forward to dozens of unproduced projects.

I've said it before... America's next top Muppet was a terrible idea, and I;m glad nothing came out of it. It was the same vein as MupOz, and would turn us all away.

 

[Mupp]

Yeah... but good show or not, somehow Henson lacks confidence to actually finish a project, and it doesn't have that push behind it, nor the backing it should get. Sid and Puppet Up have that push and backing... and they need more solid clarity and focus when it comes to projects. Might have to say Adios to Weinstine and find a better company for the Fraggle Film if they ever want it to get made. But other than that, they had all these little internet side projects that went no where... some dub cowboy show... SUDs, which I was REALLY looking forward too...

Face it, Henson's got a low batting average. And while we had a miserable time after the hideous MupOz movie (could you blame them? Really... could you?) once the first Beaker video hit Youtube, we knew something was going down. Muppets at Disney XD... movie nothing... that's progress. Especially since Disney's just coming out of that awkward Post Eisner wet behind the ears Iger era of lame tween pop project after another, ignoring the other stuff they had. Now Disney knows where it stands itself... and I don't just mean with the Muppets... I mean on the whole. They bought the Disney store back from Children's Place... that was on the verge of going extinct, leaving malls to be dull boutique after dull boutique of overpriced garbage (especially since KB and Suncoast went belly up, and FYE is handing by a thread). That's daring. That's a risk.

I can now forgive Disney for being uber cautious. They want the next Muppet thing to go over HUGE! Think about it... they need to take their time with the movie, so it won't seem as rushed as MupOz or even LTS. There's no way there could be a weekly TV show anywhere unless the movie does well... they seem to have plans after the movie, but they're not saying anything so we don't look forward to dozens of unproduced projects.

I've said it before... America's next top Muppet was a terrible idea, and I;m glad nothing came out of it. It was the same vein as MupOz, and would turn us all away.

I still think that its a shame that Pajanimals seems to be finished. They had such hope for that.

You're right. Its important and a very good thing for Disney to be super-cautious.

BTW, I was thinking, by the time the next D23 Expo takes place (August 2011) there will hopefully be some news on the Muppet film, (if not sooner) since it is scheduled to be released at the end of 2011.

(I have to say that I did not like Antz too much. I liked A Bug's Life a lot better; it was brighter and a lot of research was done for the film. I'm still upset how Katzenberg stabbed Lasseter in the back with Antz. On that note, I've heard that there is reportedly an un-flattering caricature of Lasseter in Bee Movie.)

 

[JEANYLASER]

that's awesome!

 

[beaker]

Oh I know, that's why I gave up on many of Disney's hand drawn films a long time ago because of the weak stories. The last one I really genuinely remember enjoying was Hunchback of Notre Dame. The new Winnie the Pooh film sounds great though. I just appreciate the art of hand drawn animation than CGI better, but again that's my personal opinion.

A lot of the post Lion King 2d stuff I had no interest in, until Tarzan hit. Perhaps it was the heavy anime influence, but it was really 2000 that was the magic year of 2d Disney. Both Fantasia 2000 and Emperor's New Groove wowed me so much, that I consider those some of my top favorite Disney animated films

To me though, some of the most amazing animation and visuals lies within the 60 year old Alice in Wonderland. I still can barely wrap my head around the animation in that one. Somehow, the animation went way down hill later on, with Sword in the Stone, and the 70's and 80's sparsely released Disney features.