Jim Hill: Muppets Officially Back

[theprawncracker]

Yes, some of the biggest things happening with the Muppets haven't even been announced yet...

Ooh... Phil knows something! How very exciting!

Now... how do we get it out of him?

 

[MuppetDude]

Swirly time!

 

[Scooterthegofer]

Wee havez our wayz ov making zhou tawlk...

PENGUIN CANNON TIME!

 

[Drtooth]

I find this whole idea of "last week was the start of the Muppets push" absolutely ridiculous and untrue. The push really started when Brier took over and they've been continually in the public eye since them. Bohemium Rhapsody isn't like the major part of that, its just one of a few things on the way to the TV series and the movie. Sure it got a lot of people watching it and it should have for the amount Disney spent on it but i don't think its a case that the public suddenly took the Muppets back into their hearts this week because of it - a viral video isnt going to do that - they just have to keep on being in the public eye, doing great stuff and most importantly the RIGHT stuff which all thats planned certainly is, so its a comeback of sorts but really they were back ages ago and the real test longterm won't really come until they are in theaters.

I agree about 95% with that, in so much as we're talking about the viral videos. I agree that saying the push is happening right now and only because of the Youtube video just doesn't work for me. Sure, Disney has had false starts and seemed extremely, almost overly, cautious about how they were going to relaunch the property... but once Disney XD was launched, and the initial Muppet comics published in Disney Adventures (the magazine folding just was an unfortunate event, as was the writer's strike) we knew that something was in the wings... and then, BAM web videos, comics, LTS... it reminds me of the folks who said the recession happened with the banks collapsing when it was going on for well over a year before that. It just came out very slowly.

Now, I also agree we won't get a sense of true success until we finally get a movie, or at least some other major project. But the viral video is a very good measure that things are taking a turn for the better. Sure, a lot of the views were just nostalgia fans that say "Hey! I remember them," but nostyalgia fans may just be open to seeing a movie. Heck, if 1980's toy fans could go to BOTh Transformer Movies just to be hideously disappointed and have their intelligence insulted (Curse you Michael Bay! May you never make a movie again... even a home movie), they might just go to the theater.

I think what Disney is doing is quite clever... building up hype for the just announced movie with comics, web videos, specials... then we'll see them nor just come back, but explode with popularity like we haven't seen in years. Still, even without a movie, we've come a LOOONG way from the fear and doubt following Muppet Wizard of Oz (the Batman and Robin of the franchise).

 

[rexcrk]

Heck, if 1980's toy fans could go to BOTh Transformer Movies just to be hideously disappointed and have their intelligence insulted (Curse you Michael Bay! May you never make a movie again... even a home movie)

That's funny, I happen to be a huge fan of the original Transformers (despite not being born when it was on the air ) and I still loved Michael Bay's movies....

Anyway, I'm very excited about all the new Muppet stuff coming out... veeerrrryyy excited!

 

[Drtooth]

Off topic... but sorry... Michael Bay should NEVER EVER EVER be allowed near a camera again. His caricature on South park's Imaginationland episode was so accurate it was scary.

 

[beaker]

Sorry, but I don trust that Jim Hill of Beans guy. My news source for Mupdates has been the MNF, TP, and now the Mindset.

Oh I concur! For years after Muppet Central dropped the ball with regular updates on the worlds of Muppets, Sesame, and JHC related matters we all wanted a blog or site to pick up the slack. So with the advent of Muppet Newsflash and the Muppet Mindset I could not be more thrilled.

 

[beaker]

I find this whole idea of "last week was the start of the Muppets push" absolutely ridiculous and untrue. The push really started when Brier took over and they've been continually in the public eye since them. Bohemium Rhapsody isn't like the major part of that, its just one of a few things on the way to the TV series and the movie. Sure it got a lot of people watching it and it should have for the amount Disney spent on it but i don't think its a case that the public suddenly took the Muppets back into their hearts this week because of it - a viral video isnt going to do that - they just have to keep on being in the public eye, doing great stuff and most importantly the RIGHT stuff which all thats planned certainly is, so its a comeback of sorts but really they were back ages ago and the real test longterm won't really come until they are in theaters.

Oh he directly acknowledges Brier though if you read the article.
Jim Hill for a long time(to me) seemed to be a champion of the Muppets. I think it was expected he would take notice of the post Bohemian viral success as a placemarker of where things are. It's a snapshot of something, as he mentions, was in the works for awhile. Everything you mention he acknowledges in the article. Of course I'm a big fan of both you and Jim Hill's take on the Muppets, so I may be a bit biased.

You're correct, a theatrical film is the ultimate litmus test...so there is a way to go. But as Muppets.com and the youtube shorts(like Rowlf featured in the skateboarding one) prove, the chemistry and magic is as good as ever.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but when did Jim Hill ever say a movie ride or commissary was coming? He did an indepth series of articles on Disney's initial plans about Disney's original Muppet purchases back in 1990 - and yes he talked about those projects - but always in the context of a Muppet-might-have-been, not something he was saying was going to now happen.

Jim Hill isn't perfect (who is?) but he's done some great stuff with his Muppet reporting over the years and if he's (or guest reporters) dared to say he didn't like a particular project or direction and risks offending someone by saying that (boohoo - how many times do people express similar opinions on forums such as this one?), who cares? He's done some wonderfully indepth reporting on the Muppets and Henson that i'm almost always glad to see - if i've had one complaint with his Muppet coverage this last year, it's been that it's been too few and far between this last year or so. He made up for the lack of coverage with this latest article.

Yeah I actually remember Jim Hill being a realist when it came to covering Disney's handling of the Muppets. I don't recall him making false promises...in fact I recall him chastising Disney for fumbling the ball on so many occasions.

 

[beaker]

we knew that something was in the wings... and then, BAM web videos, comics, LTS... it reminds me of the folks who said the recession happened with the banks collapsing when it was going on for well over a year before that. It just came out very slowly.

Great analogy, and it's true...when comic shops became deluged with a bunch of monthly Muppet titles, Muppets.com got regular quality video sketches, LTS happened, etc. it was clear we were on the right path.

Now, I also agree we won't get a sense of true success until we finally get a movie

Muppets Take Manhattan was shown last summer at the big main cineplex in town. There was so much overflow, that it was shown on two screens at the same time, for two days in a row. Ok, sure it was a free movie for families and kids, but thats four showings where virtually every seat was filled. And I can tell you, being in a filled theater seeing the Muppets Take Manhattan(my fave Muppet film) for the FIRST time since I saw it in theater since 1984 was just incredible.

, or at least some other major project. But the viral video is a very good measure that things are taking a turn for the better. Sure, a lot of the views were just nostalgia fans that say "Hey! I remember them," but nostyalgia fans may just be open to seeing a movie. Heck, if 1980's toy fans could go to BOTh Transformer Movies just to be hideously disappointed and have their intelligence insulted (Curse you Michael Bay! May you never make a movie again... even a home movie), they might just go to the theater.

Well I think we're seeing that the 2002 attitude of "hey, the nostalgia factor will help the Muppets limp along" is ebbing...as this is more than just college kids and 80's nostalgia. The Muppets could NOT survive on that alone. It is that mixed with an irreverent hipness.

I am just dismayed with the Muppet fans who say the Muppets should have been shelved when JH died. That the Muppets havent done anything classic or good since, and we should just focus on pre JH passing material and the Muppet Show. I just think these "fans" are being proven wrong.

I think what Disney is doing is quite clever... building up hype for the just announced movie with comics, web videos, specials... then we'll see them nor just come back, but explode with popularity like we haven't seen in years. Still, even without a movie, we've come a LOOONG way from the fear and doubt following Muppet Wizard of Oz (the Batman and Robin of the franchise).

Yeah they know what they are doing, and Brier and company are engineering quite the ingenius two prong approach of both viral organic grass roots AND using that massive Mouse muscle push.

 

[Luke]

Now, I also agree we won't get a sense of true success until we finally get a movie, or at least some other major project. But the viral video is a very good measure that things are taking a turn for the better. Sure, a lot of the views were just nostalgia fans that say "Hey! I remember them," but nostyalgia fans may just be open to seeing a movie. Heck, if 1980's toy fans could go to BOTh Transformer Movies just to be hideously disappointed and have their intelligence insulted (Curse you Michael Bay! May you never make a movie again... even a home movie), they might just go to the theater.

Yes i agree with that, the viral videos are fantastic and a great indication that all is going very well. I don't think the comics or Tonner Dolls etc have a big bearing on things, thats just fan fluff - its really the mass media stuff that counts. It is very clever indeed, although i would say the Henson's were also kinda following this path right before they sold them but obviously with Disneys pockets its a lot lot bigger and accessible thing for them to achieve which is tremendous and in the great scheme of things happened fairly quickly. Performing on the tree lighting thing tonight (especially with it being more than just Kermit) is going to be HUGE.

.. and yes Cory i agree that for what i will say about Hill, he did point out times when the initial approach by Disney wasn't handled too well, it wasn't good they were handed round various management people so i give him that. We seem to be in the right place now though!