Rumor: The Muppet Wizard of Oz

[Beauregard]

I hope this rumer is false, though I guess I'll still suport the Muppets...

After all any new film, so long as it doesn't end up like KSY would be good.

 

[frogboy4]

Why would Oz be the only place to see the Muppets? That wasn't in any of my posts. My point is that the Oz theme could be a back-story and there could be cutaway sequences to leave more time for actual Muppetness away from them playing other parts. There a million ways they can run with this. If this is the actual idea, I hope they pick the right one.

Incidentally, even though you and I didn't appreciate MCC, there are many fans that did. It's listed, as some fans' favorite around here so theme-based movies isn’t necessarily bad business. I just think they can do better than that. I liked how Moulin Scrooge was only a small piece of the Christmas special. If only it could be something like that in this project. But if anyone can bring something special and new to Oz, it's the Muppets. They are so irreverent that it would be entirely different from any other remake. It definitely won't be the Garland version. I just hope B celebrities do not overrun it.

 

[Beauregard]

Maybe if, as you said, it was done as a kind of dream seqance it would work. Maybe not.

I have written to Fanmail@henson.com asking them if this can be confirmed. So, I am waiting for a reply there.

Ok, so I suspect they could do something with this, after all, Treasure Island isn't the first clasic that one would think of in terms of the Muppets...

I just feel that something more, I don't know, would be better. What I mean is that when someone says "Wizard of Oz" one dosn't think of the clasic book, one thinks "Ah, the film." And I think that the Muppets re-doing a film like that would be damaging, maybe not.

If they compleatly re-did it, then it could be good. If Kermit was the main character (Dorethey *snigger*) and Gonzo was the TinMan and Scooter was the Scarecrow...Etc.

And regarding one person's comment of Miss Piggy, there was no role for her in MTI either.

 

[Beauregard]

Thanks for changing the name of the thread Phil. When I first saw it this morning I got the shock of my life. Having Rumor at the begining makes it less matter of factual.

Thanks.

 

[Phillip]

No problem. Whether fact or fiction, this is an interesting concept to discuss either way.

 

[Drtooth]

Incidentally, even though you and I didn't appreciate MCC, there are many fans that did. It's listed, as some fans' favorite around here so theme-based movies isn’t necessarily bad business. I just think they can do better than that. I liked how Moulin Scrooge was only a small piece of the Christmas special.

I'm not saying I didn't like it... In fact I do love it, I'm just not too fond of the fact the Muppets were'nt the focus of the movie...

I mean, for the Oz thing, best I can think of is the Muppet Babies version where Piggy was Dorothy. I fogret who was who... it's on the theme song... that's alls I know. I remember Bunsen and Beaker being the Wizards. That would be great.

I mean, if it were ALL muppet, I could easily see the Munchkins being Chickens or Penguins (I can dream, can't I ).. or they could go all out and make them the Fraggles or something...

 

[Luke]

I just wouldn't get too deep into it - the rumor seems all messed up - as i said, it's NOT one of the two TV movies ideas that were rumored, yet it suggests Vancouver (same as VMC) and people here would have usually heard at least a whisper. You can never say never, it's possible i guess, but i'd have to doubt this until we know more - and AICN prints anything usually !

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Not sure what to think of this myself, but I did hear about this a week or so ago from someone on the west coast who got their info from another source prior to the AICN story....they dismissed it at the time as probably a rumour (how many other films have we heard about before?) but now that AICN has the story I am starting to wonder...

Speaking of which, the "Avenue Q" Playbill says that Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (the guys behind Avenue Q) wrote a proposed movie called "Kermit: Prince of Denmark" which won something called Ed Kleban award. Can anyone elaborate on that project?

 

[Super Scooter]

I hope this rumer is false, though I guess I'll still suport the Muppets...

Hey, Beau, what's wrong with the Muppets doing The Wizard of Oz? It was, after all, Jim Henson's favorite movie. I'm personally all for it! I think it's a great idea. And maybe it could be directed by Frank OZ.

Do you just not like The Wizard of Oz?

 

[Phillip]

Speaking of which, the "Avenue Q" Playbill says that Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (the guys behind Avenue Q) wrote a proposed movie called "Kermit: Prince of Denmark" which won something called Ed Kleban award. Can anyone elaborate on that project?

It was a pitch they made to Henson. At the time (about three years ago), I believe Henson rejected it. But given Avenue Q's success anything is possible.

They sent me a brief rundown on the script along with a cassette of the songs they wrote for the proposal. The whole idea was very Muppety and original. During the songs, Robert and Jeff were doing Muppet impersonations for all the voices.

Now that you brought this up, I'll have to get this out and have another listen.