Is the Jim Henson Company involved at all in the new movie?

[CensoredAlso]

You're taking the fart shoes joke out of context too?! Oy vey!

I'm saying they weren't necessary to make the point they were trying to make.

 

[beaker]

Yes, it is the Jim Henson Studios. By involvement I mean by the creative end and creature shop building the puppets. As someone who works in the entertainment industry I can tell you its quite common for companies to use other companies facilities to film there movies. In the trailer we see Jason Segal singing threw a any town USA location. Thats called Kings Row at Warner Brothers, and some maybe familiar with it as it was used for the Gilmore Girls as Stars Hallow. I was actually at Warner Brothers Studio when they shot some of The Muppets last fall, wasn't able to get on the set due to super heavy security, which was a first but thats Disney. Thats doesn't mean Warner Brothers was involved with the film, Disney rented the space and shot the scenes there as they did with the JHS.

As far as Frank Oz's comments, here is the thing as it was said before Disney bought The Muppets. They own the right to do with it what they want to. Personally I'd rather them not do cheep jokes like Fart Shoes (Which i grantee you is why it got a PG Rating) but it isn't any more or less crude then many modern kids films like Shrek. Studios write movies joke to joke now not what it means for the character. Its product.

Personally I'm glad Disney is doing something with the property, and i do believe it is going to be a very big success. The movie didn't cost to much so if it dose even 70 million domestic it will break even. So this isn't a gamble like Tron Legacy or Tangled which both underperformed due to there high cost. Disney has made this there holiday movie so I'm betting after its all said and done it will be the most successful (Box office) Muppet Movie. Hopefully this introduces kids to the Muppets and the fall in love with them. Thats what we all want, we want them to live on beyond Jim.

Yeah I couldnt agree more. Sadly it still feels like, compared to Disney/Cartoon Network shows/Looney Tunes, the Muppets are still underground. I mean shoot, this right here is pretty much one of the only main hubs of Muppet fandom online.
I think deep down everyone has a 'favorite muppet'(usually "kermit, fonzie, gonzo or those two old guys") but actual hardcore fans...I don't know. Most people seem to think the Muppets stopped existing when JH passes away, hence the playing with that theme I guess within the film and advertising. So hopefully this does bring them back to the public eye. It was a big gamble to go away from animals, princesses and the typical Disneyana tropes to make the Muppets comeback their tentpole release.

Tron was a huge gamble...a cult early 80's film, being revitalized in a major way...was Disney even satisfied with the BO? I thought it was visionary, at least the visual and sound design. I also thought Tangled beat the pants off the Shrek films, and think Princess and the Frog is one of the finest 2d films of the last 15 years. Not a lot of kids even know or can recognize Kermit, so I'm hoping more than just college aged hipsters and a few parents with nostalgia go to see this.

 

[Drtooth]

Tron was a huge gamble...a cult early 80's film, being revitalized in a major way...was Disney even satisfied with the BO? I thought it was visionary, at least the visual and sound design. I also thought Tangled beat the pants off the Shrek films, and think Princess and the Frog is one of the finest 2d films of the last 15 years. Not a lot of kids even know or can recognize Kermit, so I'm hoping more than just college aged hipsters and a few parents with nostalgia go to see this.

Princess and the Frog had to compete with that loud Chipmunks sequel. I think Disney dropped the ball by putting that ghastly mo-cap Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey before Thanksgiving and giving P&F the late December slot. Had it gotten that Thanksgiving push, I'm sure it would have done much better than it did. Tangled suffered from identity crisis having to appeal to boys (also a problem for P&F) and even renamed itself for that very reason. I'd say, due to the strange time slot of P&F, that's why it wasn't as big as it needed to be. That said, there's NO excuse for Winnie the Pooh's performance. But Disney movies make their money on DVD sales. The two princesses from those movies have been permanently added to the Disney Princess roster, assuring girls' costumes and fashion dolls for years to come. Wasn't half the reason P&F was made was so they can have an African American Princess? Little girls LOVE the Disney princesses, but as I said earlier, they all got that exposure on home video.

I like Dr. Teeths comparison to JJ Abrams Star Trek. Both of these films are reintroducing these characters to a new generation. They are also a new generations take on these characters. There are going to be things that we all don't think are in the true nature but overall its important that these characters keep alive.

I've never been a huge fan of Star Trek. I liked watching the occasional Star Trek TNG episode because the Reading Rainbow guy was on it. And I find myself liking Star Trek actors outside of Star Trek roles where they get to be wacky... Patrick Stewart in American Dad, William Shatner in basically anything, Michael Dorn as I. M. Weasel... and of course, Will Wheaton's hilarious stints as Sheldon's nemesis on Big Bang Theory. In fact, it was only out of boredom and cheap weekday matinees that I went to see Star Trek, and I didn't think I'd love it as much as I did. While one can argue about its quality as a Star Trek movie, it's a smart, well done action film. It's what people like in modern day Sci-Fi. Same deal with Scott Pilgrim. I never read the comics, I was a strong "PLEASE stop trying to be Japanese, American Comic authors" phase when it came out... saw the movie, and now I wanna get all the comics. Exposure is a GOOD thing, because if someone likes it, they'll retroactively go and watch all the other stuff that came before it and discover a life long love of a franchise.

 

[Mupp]

If they did, the movie would have been delayed fifty times and then unofficially cancelled, but they'd say it's still coming.

Walter's all about Kermit/Roosevelt Franklin levels of simplicity. Something that's more expressive than something like Zondra or one of the complex Mother Goose Stories puppets. They were clearly going for the twerpy looking childlike Muppet, not something more complex, and I think it fits the character perfectly.

I agree Drtooth. (As usual )

Its been stated in recent interviews that Walter's design is meant to be reminiscent of Kermit. In that, both he and Kermit have VERY expressive faces due to the fact that they have very simple yet flexible heads and can make a lot of different expressions. Walter is supposed to be like Kermit when he first started out.

Dsnowth, its painfully obviously that you are pre-conditioned to NOT like this movie, (I know it, you know it, everyone knows it)

Your Oscar the Grouch attitude says it all. (Heck you were even sure that the film would get cancelled. As I recall, you were not being negative, you were being "realistic".)

So Dsnowth, please don't see the film, you already know that you are not going to like it, so why waste your time? The least you can do though, is buy a ticket to help support the film.

At least Lisa Henson supports the film.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Dsnowth, its painfully obviously that you are pre-conditioned to NOT like this movie

And others are pre-conditions to like this movie even before seeing it. Not much difference. Therefore both points of view should be allowed.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

And others are pre-conditions to like this movie even before seeing it. Not much difference. Therefore both points of view should be allowed.

we have had this argument before let us not start it again in another thread...both side are entitled to share how they feel

now the "YOU" in this post is directed at no one in particular just a general "you"

we have 2 weeks till the film comes out, im asking everyone as a small Muppet fan to hold ALL judgement no matter what side your on to go see the movie BEFORE "you" make any rash choices on how "you" feel about it.

BEFORE "you" respond GO SEE IT...dont like it come tell us. love it come tell us

who knows both sides could suddenly switch sides..the people that like it so far could hate it and the people that hate it right now could love

BUT GO SEE IT BEFORE "YOU" PASS FINAL JUDGEMENT JUST GIVE IT A CHANCE....nothing i find more annoying than people who judge movies without seeing them

ill give people the ten bucks to go see it if its going to feel like a waste of money to them

 

[CensoredAlso]

im asking everyone as a small Muppet fan to hold ALL judgement no matter what side your on to go see the movie BEFORE "you" make any rash choices on how "you" feel about it.

That would be nice. Instead of only the skeptical people being told they're wrong.

I mean at this point I'm almost afraid to end up liking the movie because this attitude of conformity doesn't sit well with me, hehe.

Just kidding of course...slightly, lol.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

That would be nice. Instead of only the skeptical people being told they're wrong.

again it goes both ways, we on the Like it" side have been told we are wrong too
both sides have been called wrong, not true fans, dumb and childish by the other....lets just drop this one before we go in circles again

2 Weeks then we can attack each other again

 

[CensoredAlso]

again it goes both ways, we on the Like it" side have been told we are wrong too
both sides have been called wrong, not true fans, dumb and childish by the other....lets just drop this one before we go in circles again

I don't agree that it's been entirely going both ways. But I will agree to drop it.

 

[Mupp]

Sorry to bring this thread back up, but to answer the question;

Yes, as it turns out, The Jim Henson Company was indeed somewhat involved with the film;
According to the film's credits (I also found it on Muppet Wiki) the costumes were provided by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

And of course, the fact that the movie was partly filmed at The Jim Henson Company lot. Filming there obviously required their cooperation.