Henson sells Muppets to Disney

[Whatever]

i'd like to hear from phill

He's probably celebrating Cindy's birthday. What a horrible day to have a birthday.

 

[Luke]

I wonder how they are holding up over at ToughPriss.

You mean in general, or how they're taking the news? Same as always probably ..... they take their news from here.

 

[samtheeagle]

Positives and Negatives - A Look at the High Road

Quick unofficial count puts posts on this board as follows:

9 For the Disney Deal
20 Against the Disney Deal

I just got done talking on the unofficial chat room that was posted, got tired real quick of the conversation, not much but Kill Eisner this, and Dang Disney that. However, it looks like among posters about 2/3 of you hate the deal - and the other 1/3 are just optimistic for the prospects of the deal - not ecstatic.

Here's my big issue with the muppets, post-Muppet Treasure Island, there was a serious change in the humor of the Muppets. It might not be extremely visible, but I believe it is there. (Ex. Muppets Tonight Ep. 1- Pigwatch scene, humuhduh humuduh over Spamela's mammaries, Miss Piggy making out in Muppets from Space, the lecher standing over the making out in the Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie) I personally blame Brian for not taking the high road on this. I mean, yeah the Hensons did "Sex and Violence" to get some inroads in the industry - but it never came out in to primetime.

Let's face it - the Muppets have lost their voice - their magic as of late. Perhaps it's because producers are forced to try to find something that might be appealing to more than just the family demographic. TV standards are down the tubes, and films are getting worse - but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. G-Rated movies earn $94 million on average, compared with $11 million for R-Rated (you can check the statistic here). Who produces G-Rated movies - or for that matter, TV? Dreamworks, Pixar, Nickelodeon, and Disney. I would rather of had Dreamworks, but they don't own and TV channels. Disney does.

Disney may help bring back the true spirit of the Muppets - clean, wholesome, zany family entertainment that still thrills the 20-30 somethings of today. Soon most of us will have families to share the Muppets with (some already do). I want the Muppets to be a staple in the culture - the last bastion of human (not computer) creativity that appeals to the entire population, birth to 120. Hopefully Disney will bring back the magic.

Sam the Eagle

 

[samtheeagle]

Quick correction - Count is now 9 positive 24 negative ...

a lot can change when you're long winded... sorry for such a long post.

Sam

 

[somethingofafan]

Disney may help bring back the true spirit of the Muppets - clean, wholesome, zany family entertainment that still thrills the 20-30 somethings of today [...] Hopefully Disney will bring back the magic.

Hopefully, Disney can get some writers who will help them bring back the magic. Disney is very good with promotion and brand recognition; now they just need some writers who can get the brand recognized for good products.

Of course, one advantage the Muppets have over most of Disney's current crop of characters is that they were made for multiple appearances, not just to flesh out one particular storyline. Thus, you (hopefully) avoid the dreaded "is this sequel really necessary?" syndrome that has plagued too much of Disney's recent product.

Okay, Eisner. If this deal goes through, you have one last chance to prove yourself. Make it count.

 

[grouchman]

semantics

all in all, im behind the Jim Henson Company 110%, even if I dont agree, I will continure to love, collect, and learn about them. I loved Jim Henson, its still his company, his dream, our dream. I will still love all the puppeteers and all who work there, I will try to love everything that has the Jim Henson Logo on it, even if it is next to a Disney logo. Look on the bright side... Muppet Treasure Island was not bad at all, and it was under Disney at that time, in fact its one of my favs... (trying to put on a smile, and failing miserably... ) I mean, Pixar did not die, in fact its better than ever, so good it could break off... oh i give up...

meaning in no way to besmirch your love for the muppets and all things henson....but what makes you think there's going to be any more jim henson company logos on ANYTHING?

from now on, it's "DISNEY's Muppets".

 

[Struble]

The only silver lining I can find in this whole thing is that I'm gonna have a disposable income again.

*sighs*
Struble

 

[Luke]

It's Henson who will (hopefully) be producing these new projects, not Disney - they don't need any writers. It's a non-exclusive agreement though, means Henson can work for whoever they like and Disney (with the Muppets) can employ whoever they like. Henson can be used as producers, developers, consultants or whatever but from what we know so far there is nothing set in stone that says they HAVE to be used when Disney want to do something with the Muppets. At this moment in time though Henson employ (at least in some way) the Muppeteers and build the puppets so that does come into it unless the way they are all used and operate changes.

I think there are many positive points, just they all seem to come with an accompanying negative. Yes, the Muppets will be more visible now .... but Disney has a habit of overusing properties one minute and then putting them back in a box for 5-8 years the next. Yes, you will be able to buy Muppet merchandise more easily and in larger volume but that merchandise may no longer be the quality it is now and may be produced more with children in mind. Yes, more things will be put out on DVD but it also means a change of distributor - the Columbia series will not continue much longer and we will have to start new. Also Fraggle Rock will be left out of any new push Disney makes to put Henson stuff out on DVD and it may be hard for Henson to get a DVD deal just for Fraggle Rock and not for everything Henson like they had with Columbia Tristar. Yes, the Muppets are now with Disney and that gives them some increased security and longevity in the very longterm future but the Muppeteers and actual Henson company are now seperate from their puppets and brand. If there was ever any parting of ways between Henson and Disney, if projects produced by JHC didn't go as well as planned or Disney wanted to do things another way and not use the Hensons for things and do them themselves or with others they could. Yes, it is the Henson Company who will (we hope) be producing these Muppet projects for the forseeable future so really nothing should change but its Disney who will ultimately control which projects make it into production and control exactly how they turn out. I think the only real totally positive aspect of this is that you'll see the Muppets have an enhanced presence in the theme parks.

So yeah, there are plenty of good things to come out of this but it seems potentially they could all come at a price. Is it the best thing that could have happened to the Muppets ? No, i doubt it. Is it better than the Hensons ultimately having to go bankrupt because they couldn't get the funding for projects and ran out of money like EMTV nearly did and the Muppets just being retired, sold off to the highest bidder or just dying out? Yes, it is.

 

[Aaron]

is this a done deal

 

[Krazedmuppet]

meaning in no way to besmirch your love for the muppets and all things henson....but what makes you think there's going to be any more jim henson company logos on ANYTHING?

from now on, it's "DISNEY's Muppets".

NO!!!!!! you just had to point that out!.... (starts rocking back and forth again singing "Rainbow Connection") Its not Disneys Muppets, it was and never will be Disneys Muppets, its Jim Hensons Muppets, HE came up with it, HE is the master mind behind (even the word, wich is now a REAL word in the dictionary) the muppets, with out him, there was never muppets. Disney even gt the slightest idea not to put Jim Hensons name next to it.... boy are they going to get letters from me, and hopefully from all you too!