Disney Buys the Muppets

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EarthX
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Disney owns ALL Muppet Assets

Post by EarthX »

2099net wrote:No. The deal is not retrospective. The bulk of existing Muppet tv and film is owned by Columbia. This deal does not mean any past Muppet properties are going to change hands, nor any non Muppet Henson properties like Farscape or the film Loch Ness.

What's happened is Disney now "own" the Muppet characters for future productions and licencing rights.
I'm afraid you're wrong about Disney's ownership of the Muppets films & TV shows:

http://www.toughpigs.com/extradisneybuys.htm

See first sentence in 2nd paragraph.
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wizzer
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Post by wizzer »

i hope disney re-releases the muppet movie and the great muppet caper. those are two of the worst transfers in my collection. i'm getting ready to pick up a couple of muppet show discs tonight and i didn't notice but i'm not sure those were released by columbia tristar but if they were i will be prepared for terrible transfer.
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Post by Maerj »

This made me think of that episode of the Wonderful World of Disney that was aired right before Jim Henson died where they had the Muppets and Disney characters getting together. Kermit and Mickey got together to discuss their philosphies of life and found them to be very similar. That was of course back when Jim Henson himself was going to hook up with Disney, but the deal didn't happen due to his untimely death. It's nice to see that it is finally happening.
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chrisrose
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Post by chrisrose »

I don't really understand why the Henson family would sell their father's creations. In their position, I sure wouldn't. Are they so desperate for money?

Yes I read their statement that Jim's "dream" was to hand the Muppets over to Disney. Still doesn't seem right to me.

How anyone can do business with Eisner - and look into those beady little eyes and NOT see that he's a weasel, is beyond me. :P I mean, I remember watching the Wonderful World of Disney years ago, when Eisner started introducing segments and interacting with Mickey Mouse, etc... trying to be Uncle Mike....the way Walt was "Uncle Walt"...

... and I was just a kid but I took this instinctive disliking to him. I didn't know any of the things I know today, about his business practices and the way he treats his employees.

I just looked at him and I thought... that is NOT a nice man.

Hey, children can have pretty good instincts that way...kinda like dogs. ;)
"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway." -- Walt Disney
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chrisrose
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Post by chrisrose »

2099net wrote:OK - they may be buying them, but they're going to have to wait for the current rights to expire. You can't just stop existing distribution contracts.

So I guess my next question is... does anyone know when Columbia's rights expire? I hope they'll be able to release all the Muppet Show DVDs that Time-Life originally did...

... before Disney takes over and probably changes the packaging, etc.

(Yeah I'm too concerned with having a matching set...what of it? :))
"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway." -- Walt Disney
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Post by Edge »

The rights to these and other "distribution" deals runs out in 2004. In fact i believe 60 days after the announcement of the deal.


Personally i am hoping to see Muppet Babies back on tv, especially as i get older and start my own family. Now there is a DVD release i'd kill for.
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Post by Rebel »

Edge wrote:Personally i am hoping to see Muppet Babies back on tv, especially as i get older and start my own family. Now there is a DVD release i'd kill for.
Who are you going to kill? Eisner?
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Post by AwallaceUNC »

Edge wrote:The rights to these and other "distribution" deals runs out in 2004. In fact i believe 60 days after the announcement of the deal.


Personally i am hoping to see Muppet Babies back on tv, especially as i get older and start my own family. Now there is a DVD release i'd kill for.
Which "distribution deals" are you referring to?

And I'd love to see the Muppet Babies back on tv. Do you want new episodes, or reruns of the old ones?

-Aaron
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and The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom (Epcot coming soon)
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Post by Invader ZIM »

Needless to say, I am shocked. What will Disney do with the Muppet product?
Let's get digital!
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2099net
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Post by 2099net »

awallaceunc wrote:
Edge wrote:The rights to these and other "distribution" deals runs out in 2004. In fact i believe 60 days after the announcement of the deal.


Personally i am hoping to see Muppet Babies back on tv, especially as i get older and start my own family. Now there is a DVD release i'd kill for.
Which "distribution deals" are you referring to?

And I'd love to see the Muppet Babies back on tv. Do you want new episodes, or reruns of the old ones?

-Aaron
Well MGM have It's a Very, Merry, Muppet Christmas Movie (in partnership with NBC I think). I would expect that has a least another year or two to run only being 2 or 3 years old. (Most distribution deals are for 3 or 7 years)
Most of my Blu-ray collection some of my UK discs aren't on their database
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2099net
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Post by 2099net »

Edge wrote:The rights to these and other "distribution" deals runs out in 2004. In fact i believe 60 days after the announcement of the deal.


Personally i am hoping to see Muppet Babies back on tv, especially as i get older and start my own family. Now there is a DVD release i'd kill for.
According to this thread, Muppet Babies are on DVD! (sort of)

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum ... did=185515
Most of my Blu-ray collection some of my UK discs aren't on their database
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Post by AwallaceUNC »

This is too cool... not sure it's worth it though. I'll wait in hopes that they will make a return in some form. And now the song is stuck in my head... "When your room looks kinda weird and you wish that you weren't there, just close your eyes and make believe, and you can be anywhere..."

lol

-Aaron
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and The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom (Epcot coming soon)
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Post by AwallaceUNC »

Mouseplanet.com has a link to some rumors/possible impacts this deal will have on WDW in their update this week, exciting stuff.

-Aaron
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and The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom (Epcot coming soon)
• Host of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod, the longest-running Disney podcast
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Post by Kram Nebuer »

I know this is a real old topic, but I was wondering something. What are the chances that Disney will release the television special where the Muppets visit Walt Disney World? Ever since I heard of this, I've wanted to see it! With Disney's recent purchase of the Muppets, it seems only right to release this tv special on DVD and it would most likely make many fans very very happy and get people interested to buy it to see what it is. Special features could include highlights about the Disney attraction Muppet Vision 4D and the Disney stage version with giant costumed human muppet characters (which I have a home video of! It's very very weird to see human size Kermit and the gang)! Any other thoughts or comments?
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Post by toonaspie »

I feel really sorry about how the Muppets have long struggled to find a major distributor (and Disney is a good choice, despite all the crap its going through) as you can see the release of the Muppet films has jumped around many studios

1979 Muppet Movie - United Artists
1981 Great Muppet Caper - Universal
1984 Muppets Take Manhatten - ???
Muppet Xmas Carol - Disney
Muppet Treasure Island - Disney
1999 Muppets in Space - Columbia

I'm sorry, this list is poorly underdeveloped, but just to give an idea to where the Muppets have been (feel free to provide update info)
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Post by AwallaceUNC »

Yeah, they have kind of roamed around Hollywood. As I've stated before, I think they've found a perfect home here. Kram- I've never seen these specials you are referring to, but I'd LOVE to see them. Muppet fans will buy all things Muppet, so I don't think releasing it would be too risky. Or maybe they could just be special features on another DVD? I dunno how long they are...

-Aaron
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and The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom (Epcot coming soon)
• Host of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod, the longest-running Disney podcast
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Post by mitch_evers »

I'm a little confussed. I remember the whole deal about to take place before Mr Henson's untimely death, but I was under the impression that the deal actually happened. I visited Walt Disney World in 1991 and the Muppets seemed a pretty firm fixture (at the Disney / MGM Studios at least). The following years saw the release of two Muppet movies and the TV series 'Dinosaurs'. Also, in Britain (I don't know about the US), Disney held the rights to the first two Muppet films, 'Fraggle Rock', 'Sesame Street', 'Muppet Babies' and old 'Muppet Show' episodse which all surfaced on the Walt Disney Home Video label. I'm sure I also remember Muppet items on sale in the Disney Store here.

When Muppet products began appearing on Columbia / Tri-Star Video in the late 1990s, I assumed that Disney had either sold the rights or that whatever deal they had had fallen through or was only ever for a limited period.

What I don't understand is if the Henson's had the option to sell to Disney back in the 90s, then why didn't they? They obviously had some sort of licensing agreement. Why pull out of this only to sell the right 5 or so years later?

Can anybody please explain?

Mike.
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Post by Kram Nebuer »

I just want to bring this topic again because I am still very curious about the Muppets now that Disney has them. Does anyone have any clue as to what Disney plans with Muppet DVD releases? Any episodes, movies, or television specials they plan to air?

I also heard that the Muppets are doing a Muppet Wizard of Oz for abc. Is Disney involved at this at all or are they just connected through abc?
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Post by AwallaceUNC »

Kram Nebuer wrote: I also heard that the Muppets are doing a Muppet Wizard of Oz for abc. Is Disney involved at this at all or are they just connected through abc?
OMG
Pleeeease tell me that's true!!!! That seriously has me all perked up with excitement. :D :D And if Disney is involved - EVEN BETTER! :)

-Aaron
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and The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom (Epcot coming soon)
• Host of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod, the longest-running Disney podcast
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Post by Kram Nebuer »

Searched for an answer for my own question, hehehe. :) You'll be very happy, Aaron. Follow the link:

http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2004/031604.shtml
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