We Have a Picture of Walter AND MORE NEWS!

[Mupp]

TRON: Legacy will be released December 17.

 

[beaker]

Okay, I officially feel bad for critizing Walter off the bat the other day. It just came as a shock to me because he had that e-Bay bobbled-felt look that seemed amature...However, after going away from the site I suddenly realised that Walter obviously felt lonely in the world and was looking for others who felt the same as he does about the world and I realised (as others have done) that he's me. And that actually made me tear up a little...

I personally cannot WAIT for this movie now. (And also, I can see the characters being introduced in a slow-burn sort of way, a few here and a few there, much like in TMM so I am going to be doing a lot of screaming and cheering in the theatre as they reveal whose coming next!)

Well there's no doubt he does in fact look just like any generic "professional hand rod puppet" sold on ebay for schools/churches/teaching, and you have to think they went out of their way to create a purposefully generic character.

Now, either he's going to be likeable and just what the story calls for...or fans will see him as an annoying Jar Jar/Elmo like character that goes over the top in being a "wannabe"(putting himself in every scene, annoying Kermit, etc)

Hahaha! That is brilliant! I asked him his opinions on Elmo... fantastic response... "Elmo? Elmo's a weirdo! Have you ever heard him talk? It's always, 'Elmo this, Elmo that.' He never says 'I' or 'me'! I don't know how he got a job on educational television."

Strangely, in the same Q and A, Gonzo seems to feign ignorance or naivety in not knowing who or what Fraggle Rock is...he doesn't remember Muppet Family Christmas?

 

[beaker]

I'm not excited by any of this. I love the Muppets, but nothing that I see in this article, or any previous ones, fills me with any sort of warm emotion. I just get this vague sense of dread.

I hope I'm wrong. Maybe I've just been disappointed by too many other franchises as they attempted to relaunch.

Alex

Well thats why I wish they could do two movies back to back. One that features Segal, Adams and "Walter" aimed at the Apatow/Segal crowd, and one that is a purely Muppet focused movie.

I think it's become an emerging concern that the Muppets could play second fiddle to their own movie. I cannot fathom a muppet movie without a zany Muppet filled intro

If they were to make one now, there just isn't enough time to get it in front of Tangled. That one comes out in barely a couple weeks, right? Dunno when Tron comes out. But any Disney movies starting up next year, possibly January at the earliest we could very well see one. If they, let's say, did a Teaser quite a while in advance, there could be a slim chance that they are indeed playing with those films. But I wouldn't expect to see anything until, maybe February... maybe early Spring.

Tron comes out Friday December 17th. It looks to be by far the most extrordinary, visionary and awe inspiring looking film Ive seen a trailer for since The Matrix Reloaded 7 years ago. Im still pinching myself that Disney is behind the unimaginably mindblowing stuff Im witnessing in all those Tron trailers.

It would indeed be crazy awesome! But... as far as I know, highly unlikely. Granted, there's no saying that Segel and Kermit or just a few of the Muppeteers got together to shoot a brief little teaser that just sort of says... "We're the Muppets and we're coming back strong with a new movie!" I suppose that's plausible. I guess we'll just have to wait and see... because, you're right, it would make sense for a Muppet teaser to come before Disney's biggest release of the winter. When does TRON come out, anyway? Same time as Tangled? I could also see a Muppet teaser going before that.

Heck, ya never know. I can guarantee it will at least be discussed. We've seen Pixar teasers over a year, sometimes a year and a half before a release date. And we know they can cut a teaser trailer quickly and very last minute. It would make sense to have a trailer out by mid December.

And just so I'm the first to do so...Anyone want to join a Walter fanclub? Me thinks Water would do...I'm thinking of the BBB and the SWAEHB and such like, I wonder if Walter in his own little Walter world had a club like that for Fozzie or Piggy or something? (I also wonder if he knows what a J Henson is...)

I want a Big Mean Carl fan club(sooo hope he is in the film)

 

[beaker]

Other than the fact we're coming out of a wonderfully bizarre time where almost EVERYONE is a Muppet fan

Wearing a Muppet t-shirt in Muppet might beckon forth a lot of smiles on the every day public's faces; but where are the Muppet fans online?

How come Firefly/Serenity, BSG, heck even Farscape has this zealous tight knit army of online fans able to create conventions on the spot...yet the Muppets who have been with us 55 years without stopping...seem like the fanbase is as underground as ever?

Ive been online regularly since the mid 1990's, and I rarely if ever come across hardcore Muppet fans outside of this site; and in real life...I dont think Ive ever ran across big Muppet fans(aside from Muppetfest)

We as fans, a loose knit community, etc should look into creating a west coast and east coast, and international fan gathering and make a bigger presence online. As much as I like the super niche underground thing, to me its sad when little known sci fi franchises that lasted barely a season have a zillion more active dedicated fans than that of the Muppets and Jim Henson Legacy.
We're still in the "college kids like Muppets nostalgia in passing/but Muppets are baby stuff from the past" phase that we've been stuck in since the late 1990's.

 

[redBoobergurl]

And just so I'm the first to do so...Anyone want to join a Walter fanclub? Me thinks Water would do...I'm thinking of the BBB and the SWAEHB and such like, I wonder if Walter in his own little Walter world had a club like that for Fozzie or Piggy or something? (I also wonder if he knows what a J Henson is...)

*in Floyd's voice* I'm back in.

Seriously - I like that idea, lol. I miss the days of the BBB and SWAEHB!

In all honesty I have read everyone's thoughts and opinions on this whole thing and I am reserving judgement on anything until I see the movie. I want to give this little guy a chance.

 

[Drtooth]

Well thats why I wish they could do two movies back to back. One that features Segal, Adams and "Walter" aimed at the Apatow/Segal crowd, and one that is a purely Muppet focused movie.

I think it's become an emerging concern that the Muppets could play second fiddle to their own movie. I cannot fathom a muppet movie without a zany Muppet filled intro

I'd hate to see them have the focus, but I'm sure that they know everyone else hated that. Considering he apparently hated the last crop of movies, I think he knows that's the reason they sucked compared to the first ones. Even if they have to have them be the driving force of the beginning of the action, I could easily see a Get him To the Greek situation... having the film open up with a big Muppet performance or some big news cast or something, switching the action to Walter, trying to convince Jason's character to go with them to help... but having most of the film focus on the other Muppet characters anyway...

Something like that, but I'm reserving anything until we get more info.

 

[Mupp]

I have to point out something;

As I am both a Disney and Muppet fan, I was at the D23 Expo last year and was lucky enough to get into the Muppet presentation. (I almost didn't make it!)
The head of The Muppets Studio, Lylle Breier, mentioned a few times that she and the others from Muppets Studio are self-proclaimed Muppet fans, and are fans of the classic Muppet stuff and all.

Its clear to me that they do care, and are really trying their best.

Which leads me to believe that if one of us were running the Muppets Studio, the reactions here to their projects would not be any different than they are now. Its impossible to please everybody all the time.
Plus, there is often a lot of distrust of newer projects. That is a kiss of death.

Heck, there a few members here who are NEVER pleased with anything, period.


Its a valid concern worrying that the Muppets will play second fiddle, but let's just try to be cautiously optimistic.

In Muppets From Space, the Muppets weren't playing second fiddle to anyone, and most of us agree that the film was still lackluster. (To be frank, The Muppets do not need Disney's help to make a lackluster project.)

 

[RedPiggy]

I still think it would be awesome if there was a teaser trailer in front of TRON: Legacy.

I realize they may not have plenty of time, but all you really need is a black screen, with audio of Kermit, Jason, Gonzo, etc, arguing over what they're going to put in for the teaser and the spot being over before they agree on one. Something like the Commentary on the Bohemian vid. You don't need the characters, props, setting, anything ... they don't even have to be in the same state.

Now, either he's going to be likeable and just what the story calls for...or fans will see him as an annoying Jar Jar/Elmo like character that goes over the top in being a "wannabe"(putting himself in every scene, annoying Kermit, etc)

Actually, I could see him starting out that way, Kermit taking him aside and warning him of the dangers of being a character folks love to loathe, so he actually becomes likeable.

Strangely, in the same Q and A, Gonzo seems to feign ignorance or naivety in not knowing who or what Fraggle Rock is...he doesn't remember Muppet Family Christmas?

Only Kermit and Robin met the Fraggles. At the finale the Fraggles are way in the background and no one except Matt knows they're there.

 

[Mupp]

I have to say, if there's one thing that I'm concerned about, its this;

I sometimes question just how many Muppet fans there are out there.

The youtube videos have been a success, and I have seen many comments on the MuppetsStudio channel of people saying how they loved the Muppets, and are glad to see them again, but I sometimes really question how many people are willing to pay money to go see them in a new movie.

 

[Beauregard]

Luckily plenty of people will pay to see a Jason Segull movie (note: I realise it sounds bad that people may be heading to see this based on his presence, but in fact, the Muppets have always depended on celebrity as well as themselves -- see the poster/cover for MTM that has all the cameos in Stars on the front, even when the cameos are only there for half a second each.)