What Disney is getting from Henson...

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

He also doesn't mention "The Muppets Take Manhattan." I wonder if that means we'll never see another DVD release or a discontinuation of the current release. I remember back in the early '90s with Disney distributing Henson material, that "Manhattan" was also not part of the equation.

Yeah, I also notest that too! I do own the release's of Muppet Movie and Caper on video when Disney put them out on VHS in the 90's. I only reson I can think that Manhattan as NOT relesed by Disney is b/c its Columbia, thats what it sayz on my DVD any wayz. Also I forgot to ask.... will Disney also get Muppets From Space and Swamp Years too? or what? lol

With "Muppet Fam Christmas" ... i don't think Disney or any movie studio will re-release it any time soon, remember.... Sesame Street is Sesame Work shop, The Fraggles are Henson and The Muppets are Disney!

 

[DisneyNut]

If one thing comes out of this, it'll be availibiltiy. I'm sure Disney will market anything they've got, which is great because it's a rarity to see muppet stuff in your big chain stores. I hope they release a good set of the Muppet shows (with more then three shows to a disc) and I assume they will since, a friend has told me, they've ordered stores to pull them off the shelves. Plus, Disney has done great things with the Muppets already with the 3d shows at both parks. I think Disney and Henson had a lot in common and, as long as they let Henson continue to have input, they will create great things to come.

 

[Luke]

ALL the Muppet movies are included - and absolutely anything with a Muppet in it. I think thats what the guy means. Nice work Kenny !!!!!!!!

 

[BoyRaisin2]

ALL the Muppet movies are included - and absolutely anything with a Muppet in it. I think thats what the guy means. Nice work Kenny !!!!!!!!

Thank you. So I can understand, does "the Henson company's ownership of all other Muppet movies" means Henson's STAKE in MTM and MFS? Because Sony is the owner of those two movies and the other four are/will be in Disney control.

BTW, I called JHC's LA office today and the woman on the phone said that the Kermit head WILL be removed from the JHC logo, but the big Kermit Chaplin statue is staying.

 

[Luke]

Yeah i would gather it means whatever of those movies the Henson Company actually owns. Basically Disney want ownership of ANYTHING Henson produced with a Muppet in it, hence purchasing some of those specials and the Muppet segments of JHH. They don't want anyone else to be able to show a Muppet or use the trademark without them getting paid for it. Y'know they didn't just go out and say "Hey, we'd really love to buy this cute little special called Tale Of The Bunny Picnic, we'll make millions from it". It's like there is a corporate reason there, it's a question of Muppet identity if you will.

 

[dmx10101]

Yeah i would gather it means whatever of those movies the Henson Company actually owns. Basically Disney want ownership of ANYTHING Henson produced with a Muppet in it, hence purchasing some of those specials and the Muppet segments of JHH. They don't want anyone else to be able to show a Muppet or use the trademark without them getting paid for it. Y'know they didn't just go out and say "Hey, we'd really love to buy this cute little special called Tale Of The Bunny Picnic, we'll make millions from it". It's like there is a corporate reason there, it's a question of Muppet identity if you will.

True, well said.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Here's an email I got from fanmail@henson.com

It answers NOTHING and looks like one of those "automated response" things, but hey, it's nicely structured. Enjoy.

Dear Boy Raisin,

Thank you for your email about the recent agreement between The Jim Henson Company and The Walt Disney Company.

The combination of The Walt Disney Company and Jim Henson’s Muppets was Jim Henson’s and Michael Eisner’s dream when they first discussed it in 1989. We are thrilled that the classic Muppet characters have found their perfect and permanent home, where they will live on and receive the kind of distribution and marketing performance that a smaller company like ours could not provide.

The Walt Disney Company is the world’s premier family entertainment company, and we have every confidence that it will remain so. Having produced so many successful projects with us in the past [MuppetVision 3D, Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island and Bear in the Big Blue House among others], Disney is well aware of the unique nature of The Muppets and Bear and they will be wonderful stewards of these classic properties.

The Jim Henson Company retains The Creature Shops, as well as the rest of our program library [including Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Farscape, Storyteller, Fraggle Rock, The Hoobs, Construction Site and more]. We intend to be very active exploiting these properties and creating new ones.

Building the future for the newly reorganized Jim Henson Company, while helping Disney achieve long lasting greatness for the properties from our past, seems, as it did more than a decade ago when it was first proposed, like an ideal strategy.

Over the years, The Jim Henson Company's team of performers, producers, writers, and artists has worked to create productions and products that have attempted to make a difference in people’s lives. What we've produced has been achieved with integrity, creativity, and a respect for our audience and our history. We look forward to continuing this tradition. Thank you once again for your email and your interest.

Sincerely,
The Jim Henson Company

 

[BoyRaisin2]

OK, according to Henson.com, it's actually their official "statement."

 

[Luke]

The thing is it was Jim and Eisner's dream that the JIM HENSON COMPANY and the Disney Company came together, not just the Muppets. You also notice they use the term "stewards" which is like they are temporarily looking after them, but they own them. Not that i'm against them but these media statements are always twisted to say whatever they want to make people feel warm & squishy.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

True. If they wanted to follow Jim's dream to unite the Henson Co. with Disney, they should have done that in 2000 instead of falling into the arms of the Germans for $680 million. But live and let live.