The Weinstein Company wouldn't have been my first pick for a distributor, however they are known for allowing more creative freedom for writers, directors and properties so this might be the best fit. I wonder about the budget?
You know, The Weinstines would be absolutely perfect. What with thier Genius Entertainment distributing SW's videos, the Fractured Fables (or whatever it's called), and this, they clearly wans a partnership with Henson (and technically SW).
It's only fitting a not quite independant/not quite mainstream distribution company to see this through. Look what happened to the Muppets when Sony became jaded and demographic cautions with MFS.
"The puppet characters Gogo, Wembley, Mokey, Boober, and Red will be among those who will venture outside their cave home for the film and interact with humans, which they think are aliens."
So, will the fraggles think the humans are aliens, or will the humans think that the Fraggles are aliens? If it's the latter, it kinda goes in an odd hand in hand.
But if it is indeed the former, it sounds like a miscommunication glitch.
The only problem with the Fraggles is that they passed some people up as far as target age. It's usually among *some* folk who are now 35+ and don't care for Fraggle Rock. The message was intended to inspire children while entertaining all. There is definitely something in the Fraggles' innocence that puts off the more cynical-minded. Sad, but true. To each their own. Those folk can go see the latest snarky Adam Sandler offering instead. The crude and uninspired perpetuation of stereo-types does much in the area of understanding one another. Man, do we need the Fraggles. I need them.
However, there is one group we're clearly leaving out. What about the grown up parents who have been fans of FR when they were younger, now with kids of their own? I think that now is as good a time as any for this film to work. though, yes, it would have been better had this film came out 22 years ago. But in those 22 years, some of us here had kids of their own.
It's like now would be the perfect time to release Muppet Babies, so adults can show it to their children as a family. Clearly they do want to keep fans happy, and bring in new audiences... but they are clearly thinking of current families.