Henson sells Muppets to Disney

[Baby Animal]

The only way this will be any good is if Comcast and Steve Jobs are successful in getting Eisner out as CEO. And even then, it won't be good.

Phil, do you foresee any problems with copyrights with Disney owning "The Muppets"? Are they going to come after the site?

 

[gfarkwort]

I totally agree!!!!!!!!!! If Disney bought the Muppets 15 years ago that would have been great. But now I think that the Disney Empire is going to fall. And I definetly dont want Comcast owning the Muppets. !

 

[Erine81981]

I don't know alot of people are getting mad or happy. I understand how Disney is one of the wrost owned stuff in the world. I remember a theard that had the same type of stuff going on. What happned to the one w/ "What do u think Disney should do?" question and I voted no and lot of memebers voted YES! As in what should they do for the Muppets. Now alot of people are getting mad. Now I didn't like Disney's thing but if it gets the muppet back on TV then thats all I care about. And if something goes wrong then so be it. I'm sorry I'm fed up to here about people saying that Disney is bad but and thats all I'm Sorry. I want MUPPETS ANDTHATS FINAL!!!

 

[Luke]

The main points here are that the Henson company are not selling "The Company" (as in with EMTV), they have sold "The Muppets", "The Muppet Babies" and "Bear". That includes the licensing, puppets, and past shows and films. Thats all they are selling. The idea is that Disney will hire "The Jim Henson Company" as a freelance independant production company to produce new shows and movies but ultimately Disney will control what happens and how it happens with those shows.

My gut reaction is that i don't like it at all. Loads of Jim's properties are well and truly totally split from each other now, and it doesn't sound great for the ones that have been left behind with Henson. It means they can go ahead and make new shows (like Farscape) themselves but you can imagine for something like "Fraggle" it would be harder for them to really do anything with it now. It also means the Henson's have no real control over what happens with the puppets or brand yet again, if there was a problem between Disney and Henson you could see the Muppeteers and Henson kids on one side, and Disney and the Puppets/Brand on the other. The positive is that we will now see new shows and movies, and the programming Disney buy will be seen on their channels and released to video/dvd. Overall the brand will have a lot more visibility and get more of a "push". I think it has come at a massive price though, a part ownership deal would have been MUCH better and safer. It also means that licensing wise we'll probably see a move away from "speciality" stuff (like figures and busts) back to the more kiddie stuff of the 80's and 90's, but we'll be able to get hold of it easier.

I would guess this deal was brewing even before the kids bought back the company from EMTV, and if not, could be the result of things not really working out that well financially since they did get the company back. I remember Charles Rivkin at the Sun Valley Media Conference ensuring people that the kids hadn't bought back the company just to sell it again and it seems these words were a bit misguided i guess.

 

[Struble]

I'm marking my calender.

Today is the day my childhood died.

Struble

 

[Luke]

An unofficial independant chat room has been set up for people from Palisades forums and MC to talk about the news. It is at :- http://chat.cjb.net/muppetsale

 

[Jonathan]

Now maybe work can contenuue on The Muppet Movie Ride at Disney world!!!!! we can always dream!!

 

[NoelGypsy]

Wooo Hoooo Disney!!!

It is about time .. I think this is a great deal for Disney and the Muppets. I have been waiting for this for years!! I love the Muppet-land area in MGM and I am sure if Jim Henson was alive it would have been bigger than it is now. Muppet vision 3-d... who doesn't love it?? Everytime I went to Disney I bought every Muppet item they had. I am so glad I do not have to see anymore of those LAME dolls EM.TV put out!! EM.TV ruined the Muppets and Disney will bring them back to us!! All you skeptics will see that Disney has always, and will always, hold everything, including the Muppets, in the highest standards. And no one can do as bad as EM.TV.
Wooooooooo Hooooooooooo

 

[beaker]

Well, I understand the trepedation with Disney...but geez, do any of you know how dire the situation was? Thank goodness we have Luke who knows the 411 on the dilly. All I know is if this means a release of Muppets @WDW I would be more than overjoyed. The Muppets needed a miracle, hopefully this can be it.

 

[DreaminMage]

let me also state what has been said...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooo

and the henson legacy is now gone... Disney is a lecherous company. Comcast is looking to buy Disney... this is just going to be one HUGE monopoly. And Henson is just a pawn.

I think this is a horrible decision, i would think the Henson's learned their lesson from last time... i guess not...

its a sad sad day...