It’s time for the Muppets to light the lights again - Discussion

[BigPigletFan]

"It’s time for the Muppets to light the lights again"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...589952,00.html

According to this article a new, prime-time slot Muppets Show is in the pre-production stages. Celebrities will again join the show.

First, though, comes the global release of The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz, a feature film with Quentin Tarantino as himself and the R&B singer Ashanti as Dorothy. The Miss Piggy puppet is used for all four witches and the Kermit puppet, which was accompanied to the New York premiere on Wednesday by Robert De Niro, is the Scarecrow.

The Muppets Holding Company, a subsidiary of Disney, said that it planned to “develop new content in all arenas, including television, feature films, music, stage plays and theme parks, and to enhance the Muppets’ global licensing and distribution presence”.

Multimedia is the stragety to market these characters.

"Mobile phone wallpaper and ringtones will be launched in Britain next month. The Muppets’ website will be relaunched and “Miss Piggy” will write a Sow in the City weblog."

The original The Muppet Show had 120 episodes that were broadcast between 1976 and 1981 in 100 countries. How do you feel about this? Is Disney making too much of the Muppets or are they simply re-introducing them to a new generation? Could this be tastefully done or does it just scream disaster?

[Dustysage]

This is fantastic news. I hope this show is slated for a US audience. Perhaps the Disney Company really is going to breath new life into the Muppets!

-Dusty

[BigPigletFan]

This is fantastic news. I hope this show is slated for a US audience. Perhaps the Disney Company really is going to breath new life into the Muppets!

-Dusty

That's what I'm hoping for too. Personally I always loved watching Muppet Babies. The complete first seaons is rumored to be on DVD in the US fall of this year according to ultimatedisney.com. So hopefully this will all link itself together?

[IndyJn511]

MMmmmmm......... Muppet Show! I cant wait to see it! That is, if it gets finalized. Note to self: Time to revert to muppet-geekey-ness.

[dramaqueen]

OOOO! This is something I desperately miss from my childhood! I own several of the Time-Life DVD's and it is always a great thing to pop in. I think this would be wonderful for TV audiences. The "Nick and Jessica" variety shows on ABC have proven to be very popular, so I definitely think something like this will do well, as long as it is done in the spirit of the original.

[migitmouse88]

ahhh i can see it now... the pies, the hecklers, the penguins... yay!

[Speedway]

I read in The Sun (British tabloid) the other day that the new show would be on British screens before the end of the year. YAY

[Disney Analyst]

I miss the muppet show

[BigDaddyKyle]

I am VERY excited about this news. I also saw where they have released a 20th ann. DVD of Fraggle Rock...MAN I love that show!

[mistyisjafo]

Really? Truly??? I loved the Muppet Show as a kid. I can't wait to have them back!!

[Evil Minion]

I can confirm that the first season of The Muppet Show will be coming to DVD this fall (as well as the first season of Fraggle Rock). From what I've heard the big debate over the first season set is the original introduction.


The first season had a completely different opening sequence and song.

I hope this will be on the first season set, even if only as a bonus feature (like the original animated opening sequence of I Love Lucy on those DVD season sets)


The Muppets Wonderful Wizard Of Oz soundtrack will be released on Tuesday May 17th and a DVD will be released on Tuesday August 9th.

[Fishbulb]

Way too cool news!

I had a discussion the other day with a friend of mine on the re-introduction of The Muppets to today's CGI generation. The Muppets were created in a time when computer generated characters were not remotely possible. Puppetry was used as a way to give life to creatures that didn't look like some guy in a costume or that didn't mix 2D animation with live action. You could see the wires used to operate Kermit's arms but your brain suspended disbelief and you ignored them, buying into the illusion of a living character. Todays kids, though, are used to the now polished look of fully dimensional beings interacting with live actors and anything else imaginable. Will today's generation buy into Kermit and friends rougher less polished puppetry look, or will they find it boring "cuz you can see the strings,it aint real!!!"?

Can Disney make The Muppets a new and exciting property? I want them to I REALLY DO!!! The Muppets ROCK!!! But will todays X-Box generation have the patience for it, much less the imagination? We will see.

[Alchimedes]

Bring back the Muppets!!! That would be gigantic!!

[speederscout]

I sure hope this is successful... and I'd HATE to see the muppets become CGI creatures in the same way that the company is currently trying to ruin Mickey and friends. But with what they've recently done to their own animation department this could be scary news.

It breaks my heart to hear kids today so quickly put off older programming simply because they've become desensitized to anything that doesn't move at the pace of a mindless MTV video, or have an explosion every thirty seconds.

The current and future generations need to learn the simple beauty and craftsmanship required for real "art".

Bring back the felt!

[Morrigoon]

I hope this will be the old muppet show format, not that ill-concieved arsenio-wannabe thing they tried.