Will there be a proper Disney Muppet figure line?

[jvcarroll]

What I think would work:

• 3" figure buddy-packs with limited (or no) articulation
• simple background facades (could be part of the packaging)
• one or two simple accessories per pack
• Kermit represented in every-other series (because people don't buy Muppet figures without his presence)

So, something like this...


Series One:
1. Kermit & Walter (with banjo, camera & backstage facade segment)
2. Piggy & Foo Foo (with sunglasses & dressingroom facade segment)
3. Rowlf & Johnny (with piano, microphone & stage segment)
4. Statler & Waldorf (with tomatoes & balcony facade segment)

Series Two:
1. Animal & Lips (with drums, horn & stage segment)
2. Gonzo & Camilla (with trumpet & backstage elements)
3. Beaker & Bunsen (with lab equipment & lab facade segment)
4. Floyd & Janice (with guitars & stage segment)

Series Three:
1. Fozzie & Sam (with rubber chicken, lecturn & stage segment)
2. First Mate Piggy & Female Koozebanian (with part of ship segment)
3. Reporter Kermit & Male Koozebanian (with planet facade)
4. Link & Strangepork (with part of ship segment)

Series Four:
1. Great Gonzo & Sal (with cannon, popcorn & theater seat segments)
2. Pepe & Seymour (with misc props & elevator facade segment)
3. Dr. Teeth & Zoot (with keyboard, sax & stage segment)
4. Sweetums & Robin (with misc props & backstage elements)

Series Five:
1. Nurse Piggy & Patient Kermit (with thermometer & bed segment)
2. Dr. Bob & Nurse Janice (with medical instruments & façade)
3. Scooter & Beauregard (with clipboard, mop & theater seat segments)
4. Swedish Chef & Uncle Deadly (with utensils, veggies & kitchen facade segment)

Series Six:
1. Animal Variant & Crazy Harry (with bunny, plunger & misc facade)
2. Beaker Variant & Newsman (with phone, lab prop & news facade)
3. Rizzo & Lew (with fish, pizza & stage facade segment)
4. Marvin Suggs & Muppaphones (with penguin & stage facade segment)

Exclusives: Mahna Mahna & Snowths
Exclusives: Muppet Monsters

 

[rowlfy662]

I would love that so much Disney knows that muppet collectables sell and that type of idea would be a good idea though if something like that would happen Disney would just sell them through the parks which would be disappointing I want to walk into a store and see a kid picking up a Kermit figure and asking their mum if they can buy it and **** it I just want a bobo figure

 

[Mister Muppet]

I would love to see a new Muppet pvc figure line I think it work and enough people would buy them to keep the series running. The right time to release it would be around the release of Muppets Most Wanted

 

[BobbyBenson64]

Series One:
1. Kermit & Walter (with banjo, camera & backstage facade segment)
2. Piggy & Foo Foo (with sunglasses & dressingroom facade segment)
3. Rowlf & Johnny (with piano, microphone & stage segment)
4. Statler & Waldorf (with tomatoes & balcony facade segment)

Series Two:
1. Animal & Lips (with drums, horn & stage segment)
2. Gonzo & Camilla (with trumpet & backstage elements)
3. Beaker & Bunsen (with lab equipment & lab facade segment)
4. Floyd & Janice (with guitars & stage segment)

Series Three:
1. Fozzie & Sam (with rubber chicken, lecturn & stage segment)
2. First Mate Piggy & Female Koozebanian (with part of ship segment)
3. Reporter Kermit & Male Koozebanian (with planet facade)
4. Link & Strangepork (with part of ship segment)

Series Four:
1. Great Gonzo & Sal (with cannon, popcorn & theater seat segments)
2. Pepe & Seymour (with misc props & elevator facade segment)
3. Dr. Teeth & Zoot (with keyboard, sax & stage segment)
4. Sweetums & Robin (with misc props & backstage elements)

Series Five:
1. Nurse Piggy & Patient Kermit (with thermometer & bed segment)
2. Dr. Bob & Nurse Janice (with medical instruments & façade)
3. Scooter & Beauregard (with clipboard, mop & theater seat segments)
4. Swedish Chef & Uncle Deadly (with utensils, veggies & kitchen facade segment)

Series Six:
1. Animal Variant & Crazy Harry (with bunny, plunger & misc facade)
2. Beaker Variant & Newsman (with phone, lab prop & news facade)
3. Rizzo & Lew (with fish, pizza & stage facade segment)
4. Marvin Suggs & Muppaphones (with penguin & stage facade segment)

Exclusives: Mahna Mahna & Snowths
Exclusives: Muppet Monsters

love the idea of throwing Foo Foo in there, same with Johnny, Sal, Seymour, and Lips that's the kind of thing I was talking about, every once and awhile having a obscure character in there.

oh and kick question would Sweetums be a special "jumbo" figure?

and Drtooth I now understand wear you are coming from on the very very obscure character thing but now that I have seen what jvcarrolln has done with exclusives maybe there could be a "Classic Muppet Pack" that could include those characters and possibly an 'Muppets Tonight Pack' that could have Poodle Pants in it.

oh and a Bobo whould awesome!!!

 

[beaker]

Drtooth: The Jazwares Nick line got cancelled? What? I mean yeah I saw the figures discounted to $5 at TRU. But dang. I really liked these. It makes me sad Rocko wasnt included in the line(like there wasnt already a zillion Rugrats toys from the 90s) as now we probably will never get to see Rocko figures or toys

Isnt that always the flippin case? Why is it the really special, awesome cartoons never got toys? Up, Emperors New Groove, Rockos Modern Life, etc.

Heck, let's be flat out honest: The Muppets really has not gotten the merchandise it deserved in recent years. Heck, it has barely gotten any. Disney spent zillions marketing the movie, but the UK got way more muppet merch than we did. Im shocked more people havent demanded more Muppet merch from Disney.

 

[rowlfy662]

I too am surprised more people haven't demanded it but the problem is Disney seems to be in this frame of mind where only characters like Kermit and Animal will sell. What Palisades did was take risks by releasing characters like crazy harry, pops even robin that fans would be overjoyed by but the average person would not know who they are. Vinylmations are the only way were getting minor characters because their blind boxes meaning no one will know what they get so they can release characters like Beau but Disney need to realise people will buy beau or lew as a figure just look at the cars line even if the character was only in the film for a second they would be made into a diecast car and people who buy them not only cause their collecting the line but also because of the brand name of the movie cars. People would do the same with the a muppet line and I wish Disney would notice that there is collectors who will go out and buy a lew Zealand or a bean bunny I hope Disney notices one cause I really want to see muppet figures back on out toy shelfs

 

[Drtooth]

Drtooth: The Jazwares Nick line got cancelled? What? I mean yeah I saw the figures discounted to $5 at TRU. But dang. I really liked these. It makes me sad Rocko wasnt included in the line(like there wasnt already a zillion Rugrats toys from the 90s) as now we probably will never get to see Rocko figures or toys

Someone posted a picture around here of the rare and hard to find Rocko merchandise. There apparently was some, but best of luck finding any of it.

I can't say for sure they canceled the Nicktoons line, but considering how it's been cleared out, I'm not holding my breath for anything else.

 

[jvcarroll]

I too am surprised more people haven't demanded it but the problem is Disney seems to be in this frame of mind where only characters like Kermit and Animal will sell. What Palisades did was take risks by releasing characters like crazy harry, pops even robin that fans would be overjoyed by but the average person would not know who they are. Vinylmations are the only way were getting minor characters because their blind boxes meaning no one will know what they get so they can release characters like Beau but Disney need to realise people will buy beau or lew as a figure just look at the cars line even if the character was only in the film for a second they would be made into a diecast car and people who buy them not only cause their collecting the line but also because of the brand name of the movie cars. People would do the same with the a muppet line and I wish Disney would notice that there is collectors who will go out and buy a lew Zealand or a bean bunny I hope Disney notices one cause I really want to see muppet figures back on out toy shelfs

I love their products, (heck, I worked on dozens of them) but Palisades went out of business. If they had it to do over again, they probably would have included more Animal and Kermit and done a lot of things differently early on. Still, what they did is amazing!

I also managed a toy shop for three years and the toy business is tough. I don't blame Disney for playing it safe. The success of Muppet products depend on a few things:

• They have to have a current, popular project in order to generate enough consumer interest to justify it.
• More kids need to want Muppet toys. They can't just cater to the niche market.
• A Kermit and/or an Animal needs to always be available along side the rest of the assortment or people don't buy the other characters.
• Quality sculpts are a must. Muppet fans are particularly fickle.
• The price has to be right. There are so many apps, itunes media, video games and other items competing for the consumer dollar.
• The Muppets need to have wider appeal. Period. They're on the way there. Let's hope that happens with their next film.

 

[beaker]

I believe in giving many chances depending on the situation. For many years Disney simply just sat on their Muppet purchase. Heck I was beginning to think the Muppets would become like Bear in the Big Blue House and simply tucked away. I didn't even believe there was going to be a "new Muppet film" til on set photos emerged.
So yes, perhaps with Muppets Most Wanted there will FINALLY be Disney Muppet merch. The only thing I saw at Disney stores in 2011/2012 were the mugs and large plushes.

Side question, how come Disney Parks and the UK get all the good Muppet merch? People say there is all this Muppet merch in American stores, but I don't count tacky dollar bin rubber bands and Animal snuggies at Walmart(or Muppet bongs at Spencers or whatever garbage it is they sell there)

 

[beaker]

I love their products, (heck, I worked on dozens of them) but Palisades went out of business. If they had it to do over again, they probably would have included more Animal and Kermit and done a lot of things differently early on. Still, what they did is amazing!

I also managed a toy shop for three years and the toy business is tough. I don't blame Disney for playing it safe. The success of Muppet products depend on a few things:

• They have to have a current, popular project in order to generate enough consumer interest to justify it.
• More kids need to want Muppet toys. They can't just cater to the niche market.
• A Kermit and/or an Animal needs to always be available along side the rest of the assortment or people don't buy the other characters.
• Quality sculpts are a must. Muppet fans are particularly fickle.
• The price has to be right. There are so many apps, itunes media, video games and other items competing for the consumer dollar.
• The Muppets need to have wider appeal. Period. They're on the way there. Let's hope that happens with their next film.

I am seriously A-OK with endless Kermit and Animal, as long as a few of the non main 5 sneak in there. I was quite pleased with the advent of the Walter plush. And as I mentioned, I feel the Toys R Us Muppet plushes are some of the best Muppet plushes I've ever seen.

By the way, JV, what's your take on Jazwares?