Mickey Courts the Muppets

[Luke]

Yeah i really doubt they have to legally be "Jim Henson's Muppets", i'd think if Disney were to buy them unless they had an arrangement with the Henson Legacy the clause would be to actually stop them using the Jim Henson name rather than make them. I'm sure Disney could legally call them "Disney's Muppets" but i just don't think they would. They'd probably either get permission to use the Henson name or just call them "The Muppets" which isn't a bad compromise.

 

[BlueFrackle]

Guys,

Are you sure that its the Legacy who they'd need to get permission from ?

I dont think it is, I think its the Jim Henson Compay itself thats who OWN's the Muppets name, So it couldnt change from 'Jim Henson's Muppets'.


see ya

 

[Luke]

Re: Guys,

Originally posted by Warrick
I dont think it is, I think its the Jim Henson Compay itself thats who OWN's the Muppets name, So it couldnt change from 'Jim Henson's Muppets'.

No, Jim Henson Company owns "The Muppets", the "Henson Legacy" are responsible for the use of "Jim Henson' - his name and likeness. It's like if someone is famous and well known enough then that becomes a trademark to them, and if they die is passed onto their estate/family. When "Jim Henson Company" was sold to EMTV there would have been something in the contract that meant they could use "Jim Henson's Muppets" and that would probably be passed on with anyone who bought JHC, but if someone like Disney were to buy just the Muppets and not the "Jim Henson Company" itself then that arrangement would not be passed onto them so they'd have to sort it out with whoever owned the "Jim Henson" name.

It's like Ken with the Jim Henson figure - he had to get special permission from the "Henson Legacy" to use Henson's likeness even though he has a license with JHC.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

2 years to the "day"

Man, I'm doing my homework.

Originally posted by Luke
Anyone could buy the Creature Shop, but since i don't see the Henson Company continuing in business if the Muppets were sold without them i doubt Rivkin would be interested - if there is a lot of work and expertise there it'd probably go to one of the big film companies that do a lot of animated or CGI work so they can move into animatronics too. No idea as to the price - depends on their prospects.

Dang, when you say it like that, it almost makes sense. And that scares me. If Disney were to buy "The Muppets," do you think the Muppet Workshop (whatever's left of it) and the NY office will still be in tact?

Yeah, I was wondering what The Jim Henson Legacy was for. I read about it on the old Henson.com, and I had completely forgotten about it. I know the "Legacy" is separate from Henson, but does JHC control The Jim Henson Foundation?

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Originally posted by Warrick
I think it is majorly silly that anyone could think that Disney would change the name to 'Disney's Muppets', It could turn to 'Walt Disney Presents, Jim Henson's Muppets', But never 'Disneys Muppets'.

And, hey, I didn't even consider this possibility 'til now. Just a weird choice of words in these articles.

 

[Luke]

Re: 2 years to the "day"

Originally posted by BoyRaisin2
If Disney were to buy "The Muppets," do you think the Muppet Workshop (whatever's left of it) and the NY office will still be in tact?

I know the "Legacy" is separate from Henson, but does JHC control The Jim Henson Foundation?

On the Disney thing, i honestly don't know. The NY office and the Workshop wouldn't usually come into the type of deal where a company just bought character and programme rights, but who knows ? If Disney felt they wanted to establish some kind of 'base' for puppetry (which they'd probably need if they owned the Muppets anyway) maybe they'd arrange for these things to come in as part of the deal. I guess all the Muppeteers would have to switch contracts from Henson to Disney too. All theoretical though as i don't see it happening this way, my position has always been that i don't think Disney want JHC, and i'm not so sure EMTV will let the Muppets go without it - it devalues the rest of the company if they let the biggest asset go.

On the legacy/foundation question - both are controlled by Henson's family and are indpendant of EMTV/JHC. I'm not sure if they are both the same thing or whether the 'Legacy' controls use of the Henson trademarks, and the 'Foundation' exists to continue Jim's work with things like puppetry festivals etc.

 

[BlueFrackle]

Luke,

I doubt they CAN buy The Muppets without the Jim Henson Company.

Its not like splitting Sesame Street, Jim Hensons Creature Shop and The Jim Henson Company up.

It only goes those three ways... So do you mean that they would just buy the classic Muppets Library ?


see ya

 

[Luke]

Re: Luke,

Originally posted by Warrick
I doubt they CAN buy The Muppets without the Jim Henson Company.

It only goes those three ways... So do you mean that they would just buy the classic Muppets Library ?

They can buy just 'The Muppets' without the Jim Henson Company but only if EMTV offers it for sale seperately. They would just buy the rights to the Muppet characters/puppets and all the rights to the Muppet shows and movies - if Henson's other projects were to continue rather than be axed EMTV could produce them on their own from Germany. The original Reuters article was the big giveaway that if Disney were interested in owning the Muppets it's the deal they would ideally want as they probably don't want to own another company like JHC with all the staff and facilities to worry about - there have been other reports that Disney might buy the whole JHC but i don't think Reuters would have been so specific about the characters and programme library if there wasn't at least something in it. I think this is the kind of deal Entertainment Rights and Classic Media both wanted too. I guess it depends how desperate EMTV get for money - $70 million is a great price for just the Muppets, but not for the whole company. I still think it'll end up a co-partnership deal with someone like Valentine.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Originally posted by Luke
I still think it'll end up a co-partnership deal with someone like Valentine.

Snarl... (first time I've ever used Piggy, now I know why)

And I was looking at a Reuters/Variety article about Saban emerging as the sole bidder of KirchMedia (if only Henson got the close attention that auction got), and, after mentioning Saban's departure from the JHC sale, it said "Disney now appears the most likely contender for those assets."

I hate to hang on every word, but, well, that's all I got. Once again, I wish the two-year-long ordeal of Henson got the press that KirchMedia's getting.

Wait, one more thing, we mentioned JHC's NY office and workshop earlier, you think their London office (which houses the Creature Shop) and the Chaplin lot (which the family bought) would share the same fate?

BoyRaisin: Giving Luke carpel tunnel syndrome three questions at a time.

 

[frogboy4]

I think the article is correct and Disney is low-balling for Henson co. They've always been really cheap. That's the only thing that's stopped them in the past. They want a bargain. Right now Henson is not the best buy. Maybe 150 M tops. Aside from Bear, (SS doesn't count as part of the deal) there really isn't a current top project to give Disney an incentive.