The Muppets

[Ben]

I did a quick search and was surprised that we didn't have a thread for this one!

As news starts to trickle out about a new Muppet movie, how excited are you? I must say I have my fingers crossed, but am more worried about what they might get wrong as they might get right.

BUT...new hope: it seems the team behind the new movie have had a little input...

http://animatedviews.com/2010/pixars-gr ... pet-caper/

I think I just got some tingles.

[EricJ]

And I suspect a Robinsons/Dog situation where Lasseter's going to throw out 90-100% of the existing "Greatest" movie, maybe just leaving the title.
It's a mess, and have a feeling that the Pixar heads are just the cuddly nostalgists to point out that the earlier new scriptwriters who "wanted to take a bash at it" have absolutely no idea what the appeal of the characters are. This could be good, but expect sudden announcement of a delay away from the Christmas deadline as rewrites turned into more than just one or two tweaked scenes.

[Ben]

Is it supposed to be coming out this Christmas and they're still on the script stage!? That's not going to work, is it?

But if it's next Crimbo, as in 2011, then that's fine. Muppet movies don't take long to turnaround - they're not animated - so if they've nailed the script by the end of the summer and shoot through the new year, that's way more time than they need to refine and refresh the characters and pacing to get awareness building in time for Comic-Con next year and an eventual Christmas release.

[EricJ]

Is it supposed to be coming out this Christmas and they're still on the script stage!? That's not going to work, is it?

No, it's for Dec. '11, accdg. to IMDb.
But any rewrite-delay is likely going to bump it to kiss-of-death March/April, where all the other development-rewrite "damaged goods" go.
(Unless they get an attack of bravado and use the spring excuse to put it in Geek Week, "because it worked for Alice"...)

Oh, and......"Crimbo"?

[Daniel]

British slang for Christmas.

[LotsoA113]

Crimbo..I like it!!

Also, it WAAAAAY ahead of scheadule for a Christmas release. I think they start filming in October, so they should be done in time for Comic-Con, like Ben said.

[Randall]

Hmmm... Muppet panel at Comic-Con.... That's a point in favor of going next year!

[Ben]

If THAT happens I may well be on a plane with you...even if that crumbles my relationship with Jenny back here for leaving her with the new house to make up!

[James]

Ha! I just told the wife earlier this evening that even though I didn't feel this way in 2009, I am REALLY missing Comic-con this year!

[Randall]

See you there!

[EricJ]

According to our good spied-on insiders at the TAG blog, however:

Substitute "oil tycoon" with "banking tycoon" and you've got "The Country Bears" box office bomb.
Has anyone read the screenplay??? It's exactly like the Country Bears!!!! See it for yourselves:

WALTER: "He said the only thing that could stop him would be if the Muppets got back together and put on a show."
GARY: "That’s impossible. The Muppets broke up. No one can get them back together."
WALTER: "Kermit can get them back together. Kermit can do anything!"

AND EVEN LATER ON:
KERMIT: "Oil Barron Tex Richman is gonna tear down the studio to drill for oil!?? And the only thing that’ll save it is if we put on a show that gets ten million viewers within two weeks!?!? Put on a show? I couldn’t do that on my own."

GARY: Well, what about the rest of the Muppets?
KERMIT: I haven’t been in touch with those guys in years.
WALTER: You should get them back together!
KERMIT: It’s easier said than done.

I know, it's repetitive as hell, and it totally feels like "Muppets from Space" (with cheesy popcultured jokes and all:
TEX RICHMAN: Oh it’s as over as Barney the Dinosaur. Nothing you can do.)

I wonder the kind of notes that the Pixar guys gave to the muppet team... (I can particularly imagine Brad Bird, who, when giving instructions, seems like a 7year old on a Red Bull rush).

There are some projects you ask Pixar's help on, and there are some projects you unleash them on, just out of pity and compassion for the original source material...
It's like they've become story paramedics, by now.

[Darkblade]

Wow. I'm surprised they do another muppet movie.

[EricJ]

Well, that's just it:
Eisner finally bought the Muppets after fifteen years, got kicked out, and now Bob Iger's STUCK with them. They don't know why Eisner wanted them either.
They'd tried doing a TV-movie that didn't catch on, they tried doing some Disney Channel series, those didn't catch on, and as corporate spokemen, Disney now seems to believe we only remember them from a reality-show cameo on Home Makeover.

...It may be very possible that at the Mouse house, this is Kermit's Last Stand.
Call it life imitating art, but there seems to be the distinct impression at the studio that if they can't get the public interested in one last marketing opportunity, the Muppets, now with half their performing cast dead, retired or replaced, will belong to the ages. (And vintage DVD-sales.)

[LotsoA113]

I beg to differ about the special Eric J: it actually took in 10 million viewers in 2008 and in 2009 took in 7 million viewers. Sounds like it's catching on to me.

Also..how did these guys get to see the script, might I ask?

[ShyViolet]

With respect, I really don't see how the Muppets can't be popular again if they're given the proper forum. There is something so human and timeless about them; Eisner bought them because he saw that, because he respected Jim, and because as said Disney was the logical place for them to go.

Like Mickey and Donald they have an iconic quality that makes it irrelevant about when they were actually conceived. They also bring a much-needed innocence, optimism but also wit to the harsher and more cynical place the world has become. It might be a different place from the time the deal began, but the Muppets are still the Muppets.

Pixar already knows how to cross over age barriers and make all kinds of concepts (Rats, disillusioned old men, 700-year old Robots) appealing to so many people. The Muppets are already so great, so how much of a stretch can it be that they'll make them popular again? If they can make a sequel to a film that hasn't been in theaters for eleven years a critical and commercial hit, they can do this.

Also, one thing I think people have forgotten, or at least haven't considered, is....Sesame Street! It's still quite popular; not only that, there's still kids' clothes and toys inspired by the characters from that show. And they ARE Muppets. True, Disney can't market them as they don't own them, but the fact that kids still love Ernie and Bert--a classic Henson/Oz pairing--very much suggests that there's hope for the rest of the Muppets.

The Street's Muppet website:

http://www.sesamestreet.org/muppet