Miss Piggy Joins Mickey Mouse - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Cynthetiq · 02-18-2004, 10:04 AM

In the further consolidation of kids programming and brand name awareness, The Muppets were sold to Disney. If you have ever been to California Adventure the Muppets in 3D is a neat show.

Quote:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/18/bu.../18muppet.html
February 18, 2004 NY Times
Kermit and Miss Piggy Join Disney Stable
By BARRY MEIER

The Walt Disney Company said yesterday that it had acquired two of the Jim Henson Company's best-known properties - the Muppets and the Bear in the Big Blue House, for an undisclosed sum. The properties include characters like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy as well as related film and television library, copyrights and trademarks. It also includes nonexclusive production and consulting agreements for Henson to develop potential new programming featuring the Muppets and the Bear in the Big Blue House for Disney.

"We are honored that the Henson family has agreed to pass on to us the stewardship of these cherished assets," Michael D. Eisner, the chief executive of Disney, said in a statement. The children of Jim Henson bought the company last year for $89 million from EM.TV Merchandising of Munich, which had bought the company in 2000 for about $680 million. At the time, EM.TV was a highflying star of the Frankfurt stock market. When its share price later crashed, the company quickly moved to start selling off the rights to various Henson assets to repay debt. Among those assets were the rights to Henson characters like Elmo and Big Bird, which were sold in 2000 for $180 million to Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization in New York that produces "Sesame Street."

As a result, those properties are not part of the Disney deal. Last year, when Henson family members bought back the company, they said they were looking for partners for marketing and distribution deals. In a statement released yesterday, Brian Henson, who with his sister Lisa is co-chairman and co-chief executive of the Jim Henson Company, said they were pleased to have struck a deal with Disney because their father had once explored a sale of the Muppet characters to the company. "Michael Eisner's longstanding passion and respect for the Muppets give me and my family even more confidence in Disney as a partner," Mr. Henson said. The Disney sale is expected to take two months to complete. The Jim Henson Company will retain other company assets, including a film library.

Jim Henson died in 1990 at age 53 of streptococcus pneumonia, a bacterial infection, a day after he was admitted to an emergency room in New York.

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company

Averett · 02-18-2004, 10:11 AM

I saw Muppets 3D at MGM (I think?) a few years back. Hell, probably about 10 years ago. Loads of fun.

I hope Disney doesn't screw up the Muppets.

Lunchbox7 · 02-18-2004, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Averett

I hope Disney doesn't screw up the Muppets. [/B]

I totally agree.

Bill O'Rights · 02-18-2004, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Averett
I hope Disney doesn't screw up the Muppets.

I wholeheartedly agree, but somehow, I just don't hold much faith in that.

moonstrucksoul · 02-18-2004, 10:23 AM

so they only own some of the right to the characters? did they say that Disney only owns the 'Muppet' characters, not 'Sesame Street'? Well it's better than nothing, I would hate to see all those characters dwindle out of existence because of lack of funding.

Cynthetiq · 02-18-2004, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Averett
I saw Muppets 3D at MGM (I think?) a few years back. Hell, probably about 10 years ago. Loads of fun.

I hope Disney doesn't screw up the Muppets.

hmmm, i can't see how they would screw up an existing brand, especially one that has dedicated and loyal followings for each character. The money is really in the rights for merchandising. The Muppets have been shelved for the most part, save the advertising campaign they were involved in last year.

Charlatan · 02-18-2004, 11:21 AM

I was surprised when they sold the Muppets to EM.TV (a german media company) and was equally worried when the Nuermarket crashed... I was sure EM.TV was going to sell the Muppets to anyone so long as they paid down their debts.

I too can't see them messing with the brand all that much. However, never put it past Disney to suck the danger out of life... By that I mean the muppets have some nice nasty edges to them (not too nasty but you know what I mean)... most Disney product is just a little too saccarine.

present_future · 02-18-2004, 12:41 PM

This could be a good move for Kermit. Now, maybe Miss Piggy will be too busy fighting with Minnie over Mickey to be madly in love with the little green guy.

Averett · 02-18-2004, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cynthetiq
hmmm, i can't see how they would screw up an existing brand, especially one that has dedicated and loyal followings for each character.

Disney has screwed up Disney recently. What with all the Cinderella II and Peter Pan II and Lion King 1 1/2... Jesus, let well enough alone. I swear, if I see "Old Yeller II, the curse of Young Yeller" I'm going to shoot Eisner.

Disney doesn't know when to leave well enough alone. They're always out to make more money and they aren't afraid to whore out their own brand to do it.

Redlemon · 02-18-2004, 01:02 PM

Averett: I mostly agree with you on Disney. The only good things to come out of Disney recently has been Pixar movies and Kim Possible. And Pixar just cut the cord.

The Muppets haven't done anything of note in the last few years. I'm hoping Disney starts with a new Muppet television program. I think that the Henson's will be able to keep the brand intact working under Disney.

Cynthetiq · 02-18-2004, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Averett
Disney has screwed up Disney recently. What with all the Cinderella II and Peter Pan II and Lion King 1 1/2... Jesus, let well enough alone. I swear, if I see "Old Yeller II, the curse of Young Yeller" I'm going to shoot Eisner.

Disney doesn't know when to leave well enough alone. They're always out to make more money and they aren't afraid to whore out their own brand to do it.

ahhh... the sequels, but they didn't. The artwork was shoddy for them, Hunchback 2 was almost unwatchable. Junglebook 2 had some really good animation. Each one had it's own production budget and it was apparent when watching which franchises got the purse strings.

They added a different dimension to the franchise, for the "new crop of kids"

oddly enough, it works like this... I loved the movie GREASE. My sister hated it. She likes GREASE 2. Go figure.

djtestudo · 02-18-2004, 08:24 PM

I hope they are able to do a lot with the Muppets to keep them going. Jim Henson got his start making sock puppets and early Muppet-like creatures in the U of Maryland theater department, and the school just put a statue of him on campus. It'd be a shame to see what he created go to waste.

rockogre · 02-20-2004, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Averett
I hope Disney doesn't screw up the Muppets.

My very first thought when I saw the thread name. Eisner has slowly but surely eroded Walts vision. I hate to think that he could do the same to the beloved muppets.

02-18-2004, 10:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
Averett Is In Love Location: I'm workin' on it	I saw Muppets 3D at MGM (I think?) a few years back. Hell, probably about 10 years ago. Loads of fun. I hope Disney doesn't screw up the Muppets. __________________ Absence is to love what wind is to fire. It extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

02-18-2004, 10:23 AM	#5 (permalink)
moonstrucksoul hovering in the distance Location: the land of milk and honey	so they only own some of the right to the characters? did they say that Disney only owns the 'Muppet' characters, not 'Sesame Street'? Well it's better than nothing, I would hate to see all those characters dwindle out of existence because of lack of funding. __________________ no signature required

02-18-2004, 11:21 AM	#7 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	I was surprised when they sold the Muppets to EM.TV (a german media company) and was equally worried when the Nuermarket crashed... I was sure EM.TV was going to sell the Muppets to anyone so long as they paid down their debts. I too can't see them messing with the brand all that much. However, never put it past Disney to suck the danger out of life... By that I mean the muppets have some nice nasty edges to them (not too nasty but you know what I mean)... most Disney product is just a little too saccarine. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

02-18-2004, 12:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
present_future Take my hand Location: Everywhere, but nowhere	This could be a good move for Kermit. Now, maybe Miss Piggy will be too busy fighting with Minnie over Mickey to be madly in love with the little green guy. __________________ The only thing I'll ever ask of you... you gotta promise not to stop when I say when.

02-18-2004, 01:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
Redlemon Devoted Donor Location: New England	Averett: I mostly agree with you on Disney. The only good things to come out of Disney recently has been Pixar movies and Kim Possible. And Pixar just cut the cord. The Muppets haven't done anything of note in the last few years. I'm hoping Disney starts with a new Muppet television program. I think that the Henson's will be able to keep the brand intact working under Disney. __________________ I can't read your signature. Sorry.

02-18-2004, 08:24 PM	#12 (permalink)
djtestudo Baltimoron Location: Beeeeeautiful Bel Air, MD	I hope they are able to do a lot with the Muppets to keep them going. Jim Henson got his start making sock puppets and early Muppet-like creatures in the U of Maryland theater department, and the school just put a statue of him on campus. It'd be a shame to see what he created go to waste. __________________ "Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen." --Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun