The Muppets at D23 Expo 2011

[frogboy4]

On the other hand... now that I think about it, we had those couple things that they mentioned in 2009 that never came out. And of course, stuff at ToyFair that was never produced/probably withheld for the movie. So, maybe not saying what to expect isn't a bad thing if some of it doesn't happen as planned.

I have heard that there are some unknown Muppet product items waiting for release. I think Disney could be playing it safe by letting it trickle out after the Muppets box office receipts. However, the secondary market and Ebay are going to explode if Disney doesn't have enough Muppet merch after a solid opening weekend.

 

[Drtooth]

I have heard that there are some unknown Muppet product items waiting for release. I think Disney could be playing it safe by letting it trickle out after the Muppets box office receipts. However, the secondary market and Ebay are going to explode if Disney doesn't have enough Muppet merch after a solid opening weekend.

Well, as far as the Disney store is concerned, while they had Toy Story and Cars stuff before their sequels, they pretty much had those things all along. And it took a few weeks before the movies themselves before the specific movie merchandise started, and more stuff slowly was added in with different sequel specific characters and variants. Pooh stuff is ALWAYS there, but I didn't see Pooh movie specific stuff until after the movie came out (and still, no Backson merchandise). When it comes to Marvel stuff, they were real slow to add that in. They mostly had movie merchandise when movies came out. And they just started adding a couple non-movie specific things in, but even then, with the exception of maybe one or two shirts, NONE of it is Disney Store exclusive.

Now, I don't see the Muppets getting quite the merchandising push Toy Story had... I mean, even the Toy Story Toons shorts have their own toy line now. But several plush and some new shirts and maybe a figurine set would be nice. But unless there's a copyright problem with the music on TMS season 4, there's no excuse to keep holding it back. Why, the movie coming out is a perfect time to release and rerelease as much as they can. Shove a "Free movie ticket with purchase of this DVD" coupon inside them. That's what they do with every movie that has a sequel now.

That said, I can safely say the "Disney Magic" Muppet Plush WERE just cleared out at discount stores, going to a discount store and seeing them. Hopefully we'll get something even better (though the Animal they had was pretty high quality as far as Animal goes).

 

[Oscarfan]

Danny Horn's Twitter says Disney is waiting for the results of the movie before moving forward with anything. Based on what we've heard of the movie, it sounds like it'll be a critical success, but whether it's a financial success or not is up in the air.

 

[Drtooth]

Danny Horn's Twitter says Disney is waiting for the results of the movie before moving forward with anything. Based on what we've heard of the movie, it sounds like it'll be a critical success, but whether it's a financial success or not is up in the air.

Which makes me hate Arthur Christmas and Happy Feet 2 all the more.

I'd hate to see the fate of future projects be dashed if the movie fails to crappy CGI hoi palloy junk like that. I'm very positive the movie will do well, and I'm hoping to see a LOT of great stuff after the film. Of course a smaller portion of great stuff before the film wouldn't hurt either.

Looney Tunes never quite recovered from BIA. That's a worst case scenario.

 

[beaker]

I was worried Disney was going to sit on merch as a wait-and-see approach.

For some reason, with the exception of Princess and the Frog, most the really special/good Disney films(IMHO) never get much merchandise....Up, Emperor's New Groove, Fantasia 2000, etc. Sadly sounds like most the merch is going to Disney parks(hello ebay markup!) For some reason what little Monsters Vs Aliens merch by DWA was snatched up by scalpers and put on ebay, same with Up merchandise. I think if there is noticeably a major absent of Muppet merch at Disney or other stores, someone should politely write Disney.

I have absolutely no interest in the "Cars" franchise, was sick of all the Toy Story 3 merch after awhile, and while I love real guinea pigs I couldnt bring myself to see G-Force. Rarely does Disney ever come out with toys or merchandise I find interesting(tho I liked some of the Chicken Little stuff)

 

[Drtooth]

For some reason, with the exception of Princess and the Frog, most the really special/good Disney films(IMHO) never get much merchandise....Up, Emperor's New Groove, Fantasia 2000, etc. Sadly sounds like most the merch is going to Disney parks(hello ebay markup!) For some reason what little Monsters Vs Aliens merch by DWA was snatched up by scalpers and put on ebay, same with Up merchandise. I think if there is noticeably a major absent of Muppet merch at Disney or other stores, someone should politely write Disney.

Yeah... but with Up and Fantasia, we had strong films that did well... ENG Disney tried to hide under a rock and pretended it didn't exist... then they made a cartoon series out of it, and STILL hid it under a rock and pretended it didn't exist. I got all the Bean Bags, though (why no Kronk?), and most of the Happy Meal figures... Up basically was under merchandised because of Ratatouille like I always say. It was more of an artistic film, and I don't think little kids would rush to play with old man figures.

Muppets are and SHOULD be different. Every character is either cute or zany or both... all great qualities in collectible characters. Plus, the Muppets existed LONG before a movie, and they should be able to hold their own in smaller merchandise movie or no movie. A Fozzie, Kermit, Animal, and Piggy set of plushes wouldn't have exactly de-railed their big plans to unveil the film. Quite the opposite. Now, if it was a set of Pepe, Rowlf, Bunsen, Walter, and Bobo.... yes, that should have waited until the movie.

I hope for a figurine set like the ones they usually have. I mean, this day and age, I'm sure action figures wouldn't sell like they once did.

Yeah, I have that Chicken Little figurine set... that was well done, well sculpted... painting was pretty good. I wish the Up set wasn't a test set that was never mass produced.

 

[frogboy4]

The movie could help serve to open up character assortment in new products like the wide Vinylmation variety of Muppet inclusions!

 

[dwmckim]

I've seen that clip, and it was most definitely a slip up. It happens to everybody. Its no big deal.

Indeed. It was OBVIOUSLY a slip...but people are certainly valid in questioning if it was more specifically, a Freudian Slip.

 

[beaker]

Muppets are and SHOULD be different. Every character is either cute or zany or both... all great qualities in collectible characters. Plus, the Muppets existed LONG before a movie, and they should be able to hold their own in smaller merchandise movie or no movie. A Fozzie, Kermit, Animal, and Piggy set of plushes wouldn't have exactly de-railed their big plans to unveil the film. Quite the opposite. Now, if it was a set of Pepe, Rowlf, Bunsen, Walter, and Bobo.... yes, that should have waited until the movie.

Well, obviously Disney has treated Muppet merch like a lepar pariah. 2004-2011, has there ever been much of any Muppet stuff at Disney stores?

I wonder...why is it noone talks of being brought to tears from Looney Tunes moments?
How come people dont light up with a big smile and wide eyes when they see someone with a Disney shirt like they do with Muppet shirts? Im not saying that as a lifelong Henson devotee, but just as an observer. Never have I worn a Muppet shirt and not gotten a bunch of stares, smiles and some comments. Disney, WB, DWA, none of these guys inspire like the Muppets in my view.

Yet...the Muppets are treated like a taboo red headed stepchild. They're treated like Ron Paul by the media, like Jar Jar Binks by SW fans. For years we've been insulted with mostly just Kermit and Animal merch(with the rare 2003/2004 palisades/fun 4 all/sababa moment) I wish I could better articulate what I'm talking about...but it's this weird dirty little secret: deep down people have this love for the Muppets, but its almost taboo to acknowledge it unlike Disneyana, Looney Tunes, Star Wars, Shrek(Blek) etc.

I mean, this day and age, I'm sure action figures wouldn't sell like they once did.

Huh? I'm not even that big a F and P fan, and I think Jakk's Pacific figure packs are amazing. Even the Toy Story figure treatment by Mattel was pretty good. Why can't we get those? I mean I guess parents are fooled into paying $11 for dinky 3.5 inch Marvel figures, but toys still sell. Post Disney buy, Muppet fans have not been treated very well by the merchandising folks.

 

[beaker]

Who cares if it was a Freudian Slip I say good. I mean obviously there's no bad blood. They filmed a number of Muppet film scenes at JHC studios. Disney isn't trying to hide the Jim Henson legacy, nor have they put "DISNEY's Muppets" anywhere on products. So there is a respect going on I feel.

Disney is treating the Muppet franchise as its own thing, just like Pixar which is nice