Opinion: Disney should purchase "Fraggle Rock"

[Steve Arino]

Hello Everyone,

My apologies for not having written in too long, but I've been terribly busy lately what with this crazy little thing called Life going on.

That being said, I'd like to share an opinion: in my opinion, I believe The Walt Disney Company, like it did in 2004 with "The Muppets," should re-purchase the rights to "Fraggle Rock" from The Jim Henson Company, cause if it ever did, then the Muppets and Fraggles would be one big happy family once again.

Likewise, as Disney did with "The Muppets," Disney could, in my opinion, make "Fraggle Rock" more profitable than "The Muppets" were in the year priors to Disney's "Muppets" acquisition.

It may happen one day, it may never happen at all, but regardless, I believe Disney would be PERFECT in re-purchasing "Fraggle Rock."

As many of you know, according to The New York Times, in early 1991 The Walt Disney Company officially purchased Jim Henson Productions for $150 million, with Jim's grown son, Brian, retaining his position as Chairman/CEO of Jim Henson Productions under Disney ownership.

In 1997, Disney sold The Jim Henson Company to German company EM.TV (a BIG Mistake in my opinion), but after EM.TV went bankrupt and folded, Jim's 5 grown children (4 of whom, including Brian, are still very much alive as of 2014) re-purchased The Jim Henson Company before selling The Muppets to Disney.

In the years since then, 2004, I've kinda felt funny about Disney NOT including "Fraggle Rock" as part of its Muppets purchase--hence why I personally feel and believe that if Disney were to re-purchase "Fraggle Rock," it'd make many Muppet fans including myself instead; in fact, I'd make it a reality if I had Bob Iger's old job as Disney CEO instead of Bob Chapek, Iger's successor as of March 2020.

 

[Oscarfan]

I don't agree.

 

[D'Snowth]

Disney just needs to stop buying everything up.

 

[MuppetSpot]

I doubt Disney would be interested in buying a franchise that doesn’t print out as much as Star Wars or Marvel or even Ice Age.

 

[Froggy Fool]

If Disney repurchased FR then they would treat it like they do BITBBH...

Forget it exists.

 

[CoolGuy1013]

I second that. At least Apple TV+ is doing something with them. In fact, they already have.

Besides, as much as Disney wants to own everything on Earth, FR is probably under their radar.

 

[animalrescuer]

I really hope Disney doesn’t get their hands on Fraggle Rock. It seems in good hands with Apple TV and we’ll get a reboot in the near future there, too. Disney absolutely does not need to own another franchise, it’s already in safe hands!

 

[minor muppetz]

A few things about that post are incorrect.

Disney never owned the rights to Fraggle Rock, Jim Henson's deal to sell the Muppets fell through so Disney didn't own the company from 1991-1997 (they did have the home video rights during those years, though - maybe that's where the confusion comes from), and EM.TV didn't buy the company in 1997, it was 2000 (and the Henson kids sold the company before buying the company back).

 

[Old Thunder]

OPINION: They should not.

 

[MWoO]

I think 1990' Disney would have done wonders with Fraggle Rock. They would have made theme park rides, done a movie or two, maybe even another show. Current Disney? They would turn it into a pre-school show and stick it on Toon Disney with no theme park presence outside of a themes restaurant that is themed in name only.

Disney is corporate. They only do safe projects that their focus groups want to see. Fraggle Rock only worked because of Jim Henson's vision. If it is going to work again it needs to be in the hands of someone with that same vision. After seeing what the Jim Henson Company did with Dark Crystal, I have trust that they can reboot Fraggle Rock on Apple TV. Fraggle Rock On was a little side piece to reintroduce the characters, but it was just some fun 5 minute episodes with no real deeper message. I hope that the new series goes s deep as the original and uses allegories for real life issues as opposed to trying to bring reality into it.