the muppets studio
( c) the muppets studio, llc. all rights reserved, muppets characters and elements and the muppets logo are trademarks of the muppets studio, llc. all rights reserved .
the muppets reunite in an attempt to raise the money needed to save the studio .
the studio said veteran muppets performer matt vogel is now taking over as kermit .
demon hunter independent arts software music by kai hartwig (conner) / reflex - studio. & kai walter / reflex - studio soundeffects by kai walter / reflex - studio
the muppets studio claims performer steve whitmire did not address
unacceptable business conduct'' .
the company acquired the muppets and bear in the big blue house franchises in 2004, forming muppets holding company, llc (later retitled the muppets studio, llc) .
ultimate brain games music by kai hartwig (conner) / reflex - studio. soundeffects by kai walter / reflex - studio
the muppets studio (formerly known as muppets holding company and muppet studios) is a subsidiary of the walt disney company. formed in 2004, the studio manages the the muppet characters and trademarks. the studio also serves as the real - life production house for many muppet projects .
the muppets' official website (c. 2005 - 2008), was themed around muppet studios, a fictional muppetwood movie studio. the studio featured several locations, including :
the muppets studio logo is maybe found on muppets most wanted, released on march 21, 2014, but it' s rated pg .
i just heard from debbie mclellan, and she said that bear falls under the muppets studio umbrella. —
disney drive - on with the muppets takes place at the disney studio, with various references to disney productions .
a geological survey (along with tex richman' s sense of smell) says there is oil under the studio. richman tries to get ownership of the studio under the guise of turning the studio into a muppet museum .
the first major production of the muppets studio was the muppets' wizard of oz, a television movie that was already in development with abc prior to disney' s purchase of the muppets .
the central feature of the studio is the muppet theatre, home of the muppet show .
the muppets studio released an official statement regarding the firing of steve whitmire, who voiced kermit the frog for 27 years .
the company acquired the rights to the muppets and bear in the big blue house characters from the jim henson company in february 2004, forming the muppets studio, llc (formerly muppets holding company, llc) .
new york—the muppets studio is blaming “unacceptable business conduct” for its dismissal of steve whitmire as the longtime performer of kermit the frog .
muppet studios is a title that has been used in several muppet projects as the fictional movie studio that produces content for the muppets. the similarly - named
the muppets studio
would later be established as the real subsidiary under disney that manages the muppets following their purchase of the franchise in 2004 .
the muppets studio is blaming
unacceptable business conduct'' for its dismissal of steve whitmire as the longtime performer of kermit the frog .
additionally, his team oversees the muppets studio. under laughlin' s leadership, the muppets studio has expanded the franchise and its content beyond films to digital platforms, short - form content, television shows, and additional opportunities that draw new audiences to the beloved characters .
following whitmire' s blog post, the muppets studio issued a statement saying whitmire had been replaced due to his
unacceptable business conduct
and that he
consistently failed to address
the studio' s feedback .
in the muppets, after' 80s robot drives the muppets wildly down the street to the muppet theatre to start the show, their car drives past disney' s soda fountain and studio store .
the muppets studio has blamed
unacceptable business conduct
for its dismissal of steve whitmire as the long - time performer of kermit the frog .
this article originally appeared with producers and executives at odds as the sweet studio deal dies .
the series is produced by alex rockwell and directed by bill barretta. it is a production of the muppets studio in association with disney junior .
fired kermit actor in a battle of words with muppets studio steve whitmire was recently let go from disney as the voice of kermit the frog. muppets studio released a statement on monday saying that whitmire was fired for' unacceptable business behavior.' check out this story on urltoken urltoken
muppet studios was first seen in the 1988 view - master interactive vision game muppets studios presents: you' re the director. the muppet' s hollywood film studio is falling behind schedule in the production of numerous films and is in need of help. the studio is going broke, and the bossy head of the studio, yolanda steel, focuses on the financials. depending on the number of retrieved money sacks in the game, the studio is either saved or shut down .
only on the official youtube channel for the muppets can you see the classic muppets music videos, exclusive cuts of muppets music, and all new original muppets song covers! check out classic muppets music videos like the muppets cover of queen’s “bohemian rhapsody, ” ok go and the muppets, and the muppets music videos for “jungle boogie”, as performed by dr. teeth and the electric mayhem. from pøpcörn, mahna mahna phenomahna, the ballad of beaker, to throwback muppets songs like ringing of the bells there are new and classic muppets videos for every muppets fan to enjoy. also check out several exclusive muppets music videos from muppets movies like muppets most wanted and the muppets. music videos like man or muppet and interrogation song. also don’t forget the crowd favorite american woman performed by sam the eagle .
, redirected the muppet holding company links there, and moved the main muppets studio redirects to point to the main page. and now we see what happens! - -
the muppets studio has been managed by chris curtin (2004 - 2005), russell hampton (2005 - 2006) and lylle breier (2006 - present) .
the term
holding co .
isn' t used at all in the legal jargon and
the muppets studio, llc .
( the llc and copyright / trademark attributions makes it seem like a legal title not just a nick - name) is used several times .
the muppets studio, llc
title was also used on the later episodes of
on the feature side, the franchise featured 1992' s the muppet christmas carol, 1996' s muppet treasure island and 1999' s muppets from space, the latter two of which were co - produced by disney, who acquired rights to the muppets in 2004 and formed the muppets studio. the company rebranded the franchise in 2008 with jason segel' s the muppets, with an eighth feature in the franchise, muppets most wanted bowing in 2014 .
now that muppets studio has a popular youtube channel and twitter feed, people are starting to search for that name. in the last couple days ,
muppets studio
was the # 9 search term that got people to click to us. unfortunately, when they get here, the page that they get isn' t that interesting - - it' s similar to what we had for
the muppets
a while back. it' s nice to have the company history, but the people who are looking for
muppets studio
are probably looking for our main page .
disney’s muppets, the global franchise originally created by jim henson, are working with google’s youtube in a bid to broaden the brand to younger audiences via mashup videos with a range of youtube stars. the mouse house’s muppets studio and youtube space l. a. , the studio google funds to encourage creators to create video for the platform, have teamed [ … ]
level star power — into our favorite fuzzy puppet troupe next month with the spesh “studio dc: almost live. ”
why was this moved? the muppets studio has been used on urltoken since the disney version launched. — scott (talk) 03: 07, 26 october 2006 (utc )
last week, it was announced that matt vogel would be replacing steve whitmire as the voice of kermit the frog. two days later, whitmire revealed the muppets studio had fired him back in october, and the studio has since said their “decision to part ways” was a result of whitmire’s “unacceptable business conduct. ”
steve whitmire was recently let go from disney as the voice of kermit the frog. muppets studio released a statement on monday saying that whitmire was fired for' unacceptable business behavior.'
the walt disney company welcomes the muppets into the disney family in the 2004 annual report .
disney is launching a new digital series starring the muppets to promote this month’s release of “the muppets most wanted” on all homevideo formats .
characters are muppets (although not of the muppet show family) and they were brought into the disney family at the same time as the muppets (with henson having some overseeing for the first years... and thus the original holding company for the muppets). so it is likely that lylle breier and the staff of the muppet studio also have control over
the muppets studio logo became the signature on productions of the company; web series such as from the balcony and the muppets kitchen with cat cora, television specials like studio dc: almost live on disney channel, and a muppets christmas: letters to santa which aired on nbc. the logo was also added to home video releases by buena vista home entertainment (including the muppet show season box sets, kermit' s 50th anniversary edition dvds, and other muppet titles) .
whitmire had been with the muppets since 1978, and took over as kermit after the untimely death of muppets founder jim henson in 1990 .
i' ve just been informed that the legal name has indeed changed from muppets holding company, llc to the muppets studio, llc. this comes from debbie mcclellan who is the director of creative affairs for the muppets studio. additional support for the change can be seen on the packaging for the muppet show: season three and sesame street' s season 39 credits. the first episode of the season lists the following in the credits :
muppets tm is a trademark of muppets holding company, llc
. however, episode 4173 (featuring kermit in
everybody be yo' self
) is credited for kermit' s appearance and the use of the term
muppet
to the muppets studio, llc. i' m going to go ahead and move the page. — scott (talk) 20: 02, 16 october 2008 (utc )
the muppets studio did not detail the nature of whitmire’s “repeated unacceptable business conduct, ” but said it spanned “a period of many years, ” adding that “he consistently failed to address” his employers’ feedback .
disney is launching a new digital series starring the muppets to promote this month’s release of “the muppets most wanted” on all homevideo formats. the six - part series called “disney drive - on with the muppets, ” launches aug. 1, with new installments introduced each friday that include the characters interacting with celebrities on the burbank studio lot. watch [ … ]
the jim henson company' s studio originally belonged to charlie chaplin. they' ve kept his name as one of their stages .
whitmire had been with the muppets since 1978, and took over as kermit after the untimely death of muppets' founder jim henson in 1990 .
the muppets studio has been managed by chris curtin (february 2004 - october 2005), russell hampton (4th quarter of 2005 - 2006) and lylle breier (2006 - 2010). when the muppets were first transferred to disney, the division had only two employees. [ 5 ] as of 2015, muppets studio is managed under dcpi (disney consumer products and interactive media) as part of the labs group headed by kyle laughlin. [ 6 ] [ 7 ]
the mouse house’s muppets studio and youtube space l. a. , the studio google funds to encourage creators to create video for the platform, have teamed with youtubers including a capella vocalist mike tompkins (pictured above, with miss piggy), musician lindsey stirling, crash course, vsauce3, barely political and mental floss. the videos they have created will appear on the muppets’ official youtube channel, as well as on their own channels, and promoted on the muppets ’ social - media pages .
in an interview monday with the hollywood reporter whitmire said the studio felt he had been too outspoken in expressing how the kermit character should be portrayed on the abc prime - time muppets mockumentary series that aired in 2015 - 16 .
updated: the muppet studio, the division of the walt disney co. responsible responsible for the muppets, said monday that it fired kermit the frog voice actor steve whitmire after “repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years. ”
muppet studios was a central location in the film the muppets. the studio is located in hollywood, just off of hollywood boulevard. walter, gary, and mary visit the now - decrepit studio on their vacation. the studio tour guide (alan arkin) says that muppet studios is
where dreams can come true .
tours (originally 50¢) are now $ 1. 50 and poorly attended (the only other attendees are a group of japanese tourists who think they are on a universal studios tour) .
the muppets at youtube space l. a. videos have been slated to go live from late april through june 2015. in addition, the muppets will be releasing original content created exclusively for the muppets’ youtube channel throughout the rest of the year .
watch the all - new movie
muppets most wanted
, in theaters march 21, and help put on a show and save the muppets theater .
steve whitmire, who voiced kermit the frog for almost three decades, was let go for
unacceptable business conduct ,
the studio said on monday .
abc orders comedy series ‘the muppets, ’ ‘dr. ken’ and ‘the real o’neals’ – variety
the six - part series called “ disney drive - on with the muppets, ” launches aug. 1, with new installments introduced each friday that include the characters interacting with celebrities on the burbank studio lot. watch the trailer above and a clip below .
in what is being described as
a willy wonka moment ,
the jim henson company is opening the gates to the hallowed and historic hollywood studio lot for the first time .
muppets holding company vp and general manager chris curtin with pepe the king prawn at a disney properties conference discussing upcoming projects for the muppets on july 11th, 2005 .
sesame workshop ®, sesame street ® and associated characters, trademarks and design elements are owned and licensed by sesame workshop. © 2011 sesame workshop. all rights reserved. © 2011 the muppets studio, llc. all rights reserved. kermit the frog character and name are trademarks of muppets holding company, llc. kermit the frog © 2011 muppets holding company, llc. all rights reserved .
the muppets studio did not detail the nature of whitmire' s
repeated unacceptable business conduct
, but said it spanned
a period of many years
, adding that
he consistently failed to address
his employers' feedback .
fan site muppet central created by phillip chapman. updates by muppet central staff. all muppets, bear characters are copyright of the muppets studio. sesame street characters are copyright of sesame workshop. fraggle rock, creature shop and similar likenesses are copyright of the jim henson company. muppet central is hosted by knownhost .
whitmire disagrees with henson’s assessment and thinks the change could have a negative effect on the muppets .
steve whitmire, longtime voice of kermit the frog, stopped by today and fired back at recent criticism that’s been hurled his way by the muppets studio and from muppets creator jim henson’s children. whitmire was fired last fall after voicing kermit for 27 years but has stayed quiet about the firing until a recent post on his website .
our studio just looks like a miniature movie studio. like the studio in
the muppets ,
the disney movie that came out recently, it has a little gate that opens and you feel like you' re driving onto a little movie lot, but it' s very tiny. we' re smaller than one square block. it' s a very creative atmosphere here. we have everything from motion capture performers walking around with the little mo - cap spots on their suits, to people who are artists, designers and puppet builders. we also still run a recording studio here. in the evening at about six or seven, those people come to work. the rock stars arrive for the night shift on our lot .
i mean real rock stars. they arrive at night and make their records in the recording studio, so we have a day life and a night life .
first, some background: news broke last week that whitmire, who has brought the felt - skinned favorite to life for the past 27 years, was being replaced by another actor named matt vogel. whitmire says he’s been with the muppets studio for 39 years .
the muppets studio did not detail the nature of whitmire' s
repeated unacceptable business conduct,'' but said it spanned
a period of many years,'' adding that
he consistently failed to address'' his employers' feedback .
lady gaga and kermit the frog on' lady gaga & the muppets' holiday spectacular.''
“the muppets have been entertaining and inspiring youtube audiences for several years, and we are thrilled to re - engage current fans while capturing new ones through these exciting collaborations, ” said debbie mcclellan, vp of the muppets studio. “we really enjoyed our residency at youtube space l. a. and look forward to many future projects together. ”
“bringing ‘muppet babies’ to disney junior is a wonderful opportunity to reach a new generation of viewers and to creatively build on the innovative original series, ” said debbie mcclellan, vice president, the muppets studio. “we hope to engage and delight the nostalgic fans while also entertaining new kids, parents and diverse audiences through heart and humor as only the muppets can deliver. ”
until 2006, when custody of the muppets was transferred to the film studio. then - chairman dick cook couldn' t interest his own movie executives, so kermit and friends were assigned to the studio' s special - events group. cook engaged oz to develop a script, which oz was to direct. (he had directed the muppets take manhattan as well as live - action movies including little shop of horrors and what about bob ?) but as that film was on the brink of getting a green light, cook was ousted .
in 2007, the muppets studio collaborated with walt disney imagineering to create the muppet mobile lab. in 2009, the company launched an official youtube channel, a promotional twitter feed, and an official facebook page. in late 2009 - early 2010, the muppets were featured in the give a day. get a disney day. campaign for disneyland and walt disney world. in 2012, an interactive game featuring the muppets, the case of the stolen show, debuted aboard the newest disney cruise ship, the disney fantasy .
abc is filming a proof of concept for a revival of the muppets, the hollywood reporter has learned .
updated: the muppet studio, the division of the walt disney co. responsible responsible for the muppets, said monday that it fired kermit the frog voice actor steve whitmire after “repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years. ” “the role of kermit the frog is an iconic one that is beloved by fans and [ … ]
muppets character kermit the frog will be voiced by matt vogel following the firing of his long time voice actor .
the return of “the muppets” to tv is described as a documentary - style show that will explore the muppets ’ personal lives and relationships, both at home and at work, including breakups, romances and more adult topics that lend themselves to a reinvented version of the beloved characters fit for all ages. the series comes from “the big bang theory’s” bill prady and bob kushell, who serve as co - writers and exec producers, along with randall einhorn and bill barretta. abc studios and the muppets studio will produce .
the new, cg - animated revival will, like the original, be geared toward children ages 4 - 7 and feature two 11 - minute adventures per episode. the show will be a co - production between disney junior, disney consumer products and interactive media’s content & media group, and the muppets studio .
disney and the muppets studio have a differing interpretation of the terms of whitmire' s departure, stating that the actor exhibited
unacceptable business conduct .
a source close to the studio told thr that whitmire' s communication style was
overly hostile and unproductive
and his way of negotiation delayed productions. his persistent unprofessional behavior over a number of years ultimately led to the decision, the source said. as for whitmire being honored, the source told thr the puppeteer was not interested in what was proposed. no details were given .
kermit the frog’s date to the 2009 vmas, lady gaga, has reportedly filmed a holiday special with the muppets for abc .
in 2011, a new theatrical muppet movie was released through walt disney pictures, entitled the muppets. this was followed by a sequel, muppets most wanted, released by disney in 2014 .
following henson' s death, the franchise continued with muppets tonight airing on abc in 1996 with reruns airing on sibling disney channel from 1997 - 2000. that was the last television series to feature the muppets characters .
overstuffed studio stables mostly perished in the wga - strike housecleaning. now, surviving producers fight for stingier deals and fewer film slots in an environment of belt - tightening and cold creative calculation .
pearl street films: ben affleck & matt damon the studio can' t get enough of affleck, whose growing directing career (he' s now filming argo) has him looking like clint eastwood' s heir. and damon is clearly prepared to follow: the studio has grabbed several scripts for him to direct, including a drama screenplay the actor co - wrote. the duo also has the whitey bulger story in the works .
disney will release “muppets most wanted” on blu - ray and dvd on aug. 12 .
on the comedy side, the muppets arrives as it has become increasingly challenging to launch original scripted half - hours .
steve whitmire, who had voiced kermit the frog for 27 years before being fired by disney, says he was let go because he spoke up about changes being made to the character he felt were against what creator jim henson would have wanted. the muppets studio claims it was about how whitmire conducted himself in the workplace .
certainly it worked for sony with the smurfs. it had been a couple of decades since the blue creatures had their heyday, and the studio brought them roaring back with a worldwide gross of more than $ 540 million. (with a $ 110 million budget, the wager was far higher than disney' s on the muppets. )
the irony is that segel wanted to make the film because he is such a passionate muppets fan. even the old guard acknowledges that segel wants to do right by the muppets, but many feel the pervasive attitude on the film was dismissive of those who originated the characters .
in honor of the muppets’ new show, we take a look at some of their early career lessons .
jim henson, the muppets, and friends; with drawings by jim henson; edited by cheryl henson .
mandeville films: david hoberman & todd lieberman in 2009, mandeville supplied disney with the impressive $ 317 million worldwide gross of the proposal and the middling performance of surrogates. after the muppets in november, the duo has projects filming for summit and relativity and here there be monsters set up at warner bros. but nothing approaching the runway at their home studio .
in the muppets' wizard of oz, the
goofy holler
is used when the tin thing falls through the wizard' s trap door .
disney ’s maker studios team advised muppets studios on collaborations, channel strategy and working with youtube .
june 3: john and hank green from “crash course” encounter a classroom full of rowdy muppets .
whitmire had worked for the muppets since 1978 and served as the voice of kermit since 1990 after the death of jim henson. whitmire will be replaced by matt vogel, who previously performed as kermit imitator constantine in muppets most wanted .
. it will include the “applause” singer performing her own songs, as well as some holiday classics, with the muppets. it’s the singer’s
like a lot of aging people in hollywood, the muppets were pretty much sitting on a shelf at disney when mr. segel visited the studio in 2008 to talk about projects after his full - frontal moment in “forgetting sarah marshall. ” mr. segel suggested a muppet movie, and disney was open - minded .
whitmire could not immediately be reached for comment, but in an interview monday with the hollywood reporter he said the studio felt he had been too outspoken in expressing how the kermit character should be portrayed on the abc prime - time muppets mockumentary series that aired in 2015 - 16. whitmire said he had only been trying to help keep the show “on track. ”
following six drama orders, abc has picked up three comedy series: “the muppets, ” “the real o’neals” and “dr. ken. ” the return of “the muppets” to tv is described as a documentary - style show that will explore the muppets’ personal lives and relationships, both at home and at work, including breakups, romances and more adult topics that [ … ]
henson' s puppets moved to the big screen in 1979 with the muppet movie, followed by movies including the great muppet caper and the muppets take manhattan .
i believe that i recently found a post at muppet central that mentioned the reason for the title change from the muppets holding company to muppet studios, but i forget the reason. i think it had something to do with the muppets holding company sounding too formal. - -
whitmire could not immediately be reached for comment, but in an interview monday with the hollywood reporter he said the studio felt he had been too outspoken in expressing how the kermit character should be portrayed on the abc prime - time muppets mockumentary series that aired in 2015 - 16. whitmire said he had only been trying to help keep the show
on track.''
abc is part of the walt disney co. , which purchased the muppets franchise from the jim henson co. in 2004 and the right to use the characters in its theme parks, movies, tv shows and retail products. the abc television movie the muppets' wizard of oz aired earlier this year .
yeah, that makes sense. while i had that studio system trial, their records showed that the
holding company
was contracted for a three year development period. now that period has passed and the original language is no longer applicable, and besides they' re more actively finding ways to use the muppets and producing new stuff. - -
the muppets may stage their own reality talent show. we just hope statler and waldorf come down from the balcony to be judges .
the exhibit ends with a peek at projects henson had in mind before his sudden fatal illness in 1990 at the age of 53. there isn’t too much devoted to the lives the muppets have had since that time, and certainly nothing alluding to the current row between the henson organization and the puppeteer steve whitmire. but the muppets section does include test footage shot before 1979’s the muppet movie, the first time kermit the frog and miss piggy were ever filmed outside of a studio. these experiments helped henson and crew figure out how to capture the famous sequence of kermit riding a bicycle .
it’s too early to say whether a project will develop out of the recent muppets event. but according to attendees, the brief tryout seemed to go well, and a stage version of the muppets seems a no - brainer given the high profile of the widely beloved disney property .
one is the expense, this show is expensive as i’m turning the soundstage into a theater. also, it’s a hardworking lot around the clock as we’ve got the henson recording studio here, which is the biggest rock and roll recording studio in america, so the lot does work and hum along 24 / 7. it is disruptive, to a degree, to open up the lot for a public audience to come in so because of that it only really makes sense to do it for one of our own shows .
in “drive - on, ” pepe the king prawn is left in charge of the muppets’ office and takes on the responsibility of “mentoring” walter on the business of hollywood. still considered the “new guy” with the muppets, walter is given low - level jobs working alongside his fellow muppets at their office in the famed walt disney studios in burbank. he quickly learns there is a lot more to making movies than he thought .
after finding the studio, they go on a tour — alan arkin plays the cranky guide — and find the place “run - down and for the most part abandoned, ” mr. lieberman said. (sound familiar ?) but kermit & company decide to fix all that by reuniting the gang, blues brothers - style, for an old - fashioned variety show fund - raiser that saves the studio from a villain named tex richman, played by chris cooper, who thinks he can smell oil under the famous muppet theater .
the late jim henson' s muppets got their first regular, widespread exposure on pbs' sesame street starting in 1969 .
i say put all of the muppets in a box and light a match... r. i. p .
the jim henson company fan mail (for performers & muppets) p. o. box 20726 new york, ny 10023
there’s plenty of fun for the whole family as kermit the frog, miss piggy, animal and the entire muppets gang head out on a world tour .
a sesame street episode parodying the lion king was introduced as a
walt dizzy film ,
with a small warner bros. - like logo below, and an mgm - like circle with a chicken in the spot of the studio' s trademark lion .
the company' s efforts to diversify was one of the topics of discussion when the frame' s john horn visited lisa henson on the small studio lot that once belonged to charlie chaplin, and later housed a & m records. below are some highlights of that conversation .
following six drama orders, abc has picked up three comedy series: “ the muppets, ” “the real o’neals” and “dr. ken. ”
disney has been working with a vengeance in anticipation of the film' s nov. 23 release to trend up the characters online, including amusing spoofs of such films as the hangover part ii and the girl with the dragon tattoo. a song sung by stars jason segel and amy adams premiered on ryan seacrest' s radio show oct. 12. the studio has been buoyed by strong test screenings, and based on internet chatter, anticipation for the film is high. but the muppets haven' t been in theaters since muppets from space tanked for sony in 1999 .
hmmm, maybe disney is finally getting serious about mounting a muppets revival. i hope so. mouse house will inject a big dose of disney channel star power — miley cyrus level star power — into our favorite fuzzy puppet troupe next month with the spesh “studio dc: almost live. ” it’s described as “a music - filled sketch [ … ]
fair enough, until some more solid information comes along we can leave it under muppet holding co... i' ll add a note to the article about the
studio
thing, and keep my eye out for more information. - -
the first issue was that they felt i had been' disrespectful' in being outspoken on character issues with the small group of top creative people during the abc series ,
said whitmire, who had been working with the muppets since 1978 .
i have been outspoken about what' s best for the muppets since the muppets came to disney [ 2004 ], but the fact is i have respect for everyone who was involved in the creation of that series for their own particular contributions. at the same time, i also have insight into their limitations with respect to how well they know the muppets .
matt vogel will take over as kermit the frog. his first time as the character will be in a
muppets thought of the week
video this week .
brian henson, who is the company’s chairman, told the times that whitmore often sent emails attacking writers, directors and others involved in muppets projects .
henson would have turned 77 this week — the muppets creator died in 1990 at age 53 — but he lives on in the words of kermit .
disney aims to reboot the muppets franchise with a new movie. the gang hasn' t had a big box - office hit in 32 years .
at that point, disney started its cycle of on - again - off - again efforts to put the muppets back to work .
jim henson' s lovable muppets return to the small screen in this mockumentary - style series that follows their personal and professional lives .
em. tv, which paid $ 680 million for the characters, would later have financial problems, and in 2003 sold the muppets back to the henson children for $ 78 million. the family later sold the muppets to disney while retaining the rights to other henson creations like the fraggles. (sesame workshop owns “sesame street” and related characters. )
the muppets have been working in hollywood for almost 40 years, but rather than considering retirement, they are well into the second act of their careers .
according to a muppets veteran, toward the end of his life, muppets creator jim henson was finding it a challenge to keep his creatures in the public eye. he was operating independently in an era of media concentration, which helps explain his decision to sell to disney .
watch the all - new movie
muppets most wanted
, in theaters now. how many outfits can you create for miss piggy ?
“studio dc” is hosted by dylan and cole sprouse of “the suite life of zack & cody. ” seems a little funny that fozzie bear, kermit or gonzo the great wouldn’t be at least a co - host…but i’ll reserve judgment until i see the spesh, which bows aug. 3 .
while the special - events unit was developing the oz script, cook' s executives were talking to segel. when he pitched the idea for a muppets movie, those previously unenthusiastic executives became more interested. the fact that disney moved ahead on the script segel wrote with nicholas stoller left the old muppets pros suspicious, as one puts it, that
this is a case of disney wanting to get into the jason segel business ,
as opposed to reviving the franchise. this insider adds ,
my biggest hope is that it comes across as a muppets film and not a jason segel film that the muppets happen to be in .
at the time of his firing, whitmire was under the impression that not only did he have a long future with the muppets but also his role was about to expand .
“the first issue was that they felt i had been ‘disrespectful’ in being outspoken on character issues with the small group of top creative people during the abc series, ” he told the publication. “i have been outspoken about what’s best for the muppets since the muppets came to disney [ 2004 ], but the fact is i have respect for everyone who was involved in the creation of that series for their own particular contributions. at the same time, i also have insight into their limitations with respect to how well they know the muppets. ”
“the role of kermit the frog is an iconic one that is beloved by fans and we take our responsibility to protect the integrity of that character very seriously, ” a spokesperson for the muppets studio said in a statement to ew. “we raised concerns about steve’s repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years and he consistently failed to address the feedback. the decision to part ways was a difficult one which was made in consultation with the henson family and has their full support. ”
watch the all new movie
muppets most wanted
, in theaters march 21, and rock out on the drums to unleash animal' s wild side .
: on a white background, we see several muppets that appear to be
bursting
out of the background, with kermit in front. the words :
the muppets won’t be following the variety - show - style format of the original muppet show (1976 - 1981) and muppets tonight (1996 - 1998). instead, the new show will be shot in documentary style and will explore the muppets’ personal lives and relationships, both at home and at work, as well as achievements, disappointments, romances, and breakups (kermit and miss piggy publicly announced their breakup in a publicity stunt for the show this summer) .
the tension involved in reviving the faded muppets franchise is one that should have familiar echoes at disney. after the death of walt disney in 1966, executives at the company became so engrossed in wondering
what would walt do ?
that disney became almost paralyzed. in the case of the muppets, the tendency to enshrine the creator might be magnified by the fact that the bearded henson died so young and unexpectedly at 53 .
and no nipple references! !! !! ! i still won' t let my kids watch the muppets
wizard of oz .
and no nipple references! !! !! ! i still won' t let my kids watch the muppets wizard of oz .
the role of kermit the frog is an iconic one that is beloved by fans and we take our responsibility to protect the integrity of that character very seriously ,
a spokesperson for the muppets studio told thr in a statement .
we raised concerns about steve' s repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years and he consistently failed to address the feedback. the decision to part ways was a difficult one which was made in consultation with the henson family and has their full support .
jerry bruckheimer films: jerry bruckheimer the fourth pirates of the caribbean film triumphed, but the run - up to it - - confessions of a shopaholic, g - force, prince of persia: the sands of time and apprentice - - failed to reach blockbuster status, forcing the mega - producer into an atypical public wrestling match with the studio to get the lone ranger greenlighted .
mr. eisner has waited a long time for this moment. as an executive at abc in his 20s in the late 1960s, he recalls, he was eager to put the muppets on the network. but like many suitors, abc wanted the muppets to be a broader children' s property. mr. henson was determined not to change the tone of the muppets, and he went into business instead with the british tv mogul lew grade .
the muppet show'' was syndicated around the world and launched kermit as an international star .
this marks the second time prady has attempted to revive the muppets. the writer - producer shot some test footage before cbs' the big bang theory that disney ultimately passed on. for his part, prady earned an emmy nomination in 1991 for writing tribute the muppets celebrate jim henson in 1990 and has contributed writing to disney' s muppet - themed attractions. should abc order muppets to series, prady would juggle both that project and cbs' the big bang theory, which he exec produces .
some people forget that the muppets “were never designed as children' s entertainment, ” says todd lieberman, left, a producer, with david hoberman .
while on a grand world tour, the muppets find themselves wrapped into an european jewel - heist caper headed by a kermit the frog look - alike and his dastardly sidekick .
apatow productions: judd apatow apatow broke ground again by helping bridesmaids become a surprise smash this summer (it surpassed the gross of his own knocked up for the studio in 2007). and the comedy continues: wanderlust, the five - year engagement and this is forty - - which he also wrote and directed - - hit theaters in 2012 .
that being said, if disney really wants kids to know who the muppets are, just put them on television. the original show (and even, to a much lesser extent, muppets tonight) have a charm that kids of all ages spark to immediately. if you show it, they will come .
21 laps entertainment: shawn levy levy' s outfit has been a hit machine for the studio (minus the rocker) since night at the museum in 2006, with more than $ 1. 3 billion in global grosses generated so far. the ensemble sci - fi comedy neighborhood watch is filming for a summer release, and the museum franchise could always be extended .
before the walt disney company bought the muppets, there had been a number of references in muppet / henson projects to disney and its productions and characters. in recent years, such references to disney in muppet productions have occurred as cross - promotion. the muppets have also been referenced and have made appearances in disney projects as well .
it might be that some of the original muppets crew are overly possessive. but so great are the concerns of some muppets performers who were involved in making the film that sources say a couple of key players - - including the performer behind (or beneath) kermit the frog - - considered removing their names from the credits. but they didn' t, and a muppets veteran says the gesture would have been costly to the performers and fruitless .
it doesn' t send any message ,
he says .
[ disney ] wouldn' t care .
we' re trying to get the old gang back together again !
says a voice that unmistakably belongs to kermit the frog, in one of the many muppets trailers the disney marketing machine has lobbed onto the web in recent weeks .
with “ muppets most wanted ” out in theaters next march, disney has started to promote the characters through a new online series of shorts called “muppisodes. ”
even though disney began pursuing ownership of the muppets in 1989, it wasn' t until february 17, 2004 that disney' s dream became a reality .
lightstorm entertainment: james cameron avatar contributed $ 2. 78 billion in gross revenue to fox' s coffers in 2009 and 2010; it was the first picture the company had delivered to the studio since solaris in 2002. and while lightstorm has other projects in the works, including a big - budget remake of fantastic voyage, the forthcoming avatar sequels are what really matter .
overbrook entertainment: will smith overbrook, a sony pillar since 2001, has brought the studio four giant hits, including the 2008 superhero flick hancock and 2010' s the karate kid remake with smith' s son jaden starring. its current contract runs through 2013, with a remake of annie, an adaptation of the hasbro game risk and a hancock sequel in the works .
given that generational influence, it is all the more puzzling that the muppets became a diminishing presence even as newly invented creatures who seemed to share their spirit — like shrek, from dreamworks animation — took center stage. at a time when prebranded characters are hollywood’s treasured assets, how were the muppets allowed to slip into such a state ?
the show, intended for kids age 2 to 7, is a series of conversations between the muppets and young kids about topics like “apologies, ” “favorite foods” and “manners. ”
the heart of disney' s strategy is to take the muppets back to their roots in the tv show, in which kermit sang classics such as
it' s not easy being green,'' and fended off miss piggy' s advances. when mr. henson created the muppets in the 1950s, he pitched them for adults, albeit with a child friendly tone .
henson’s deal with disney includes a 15 - year contract for his creative services and a production deal with the studio. “my company has signed a production deal with them, ” henson says. “so i’m still working, i still have my own company, but our output is exclusive to disney. ”
in an outpouring of good will, some of hollywood’s brightest young stars have lined up behind reviving the muppets with a film that is, appropriately, about reviving the muppets. over the last several months, ricky gervais, emily blunt, zach galifianakis, jack black and two dozen or so peers have flocked to rented stages on the universal studios lot for roles .
kermit was originally voiced by jim until his death in 1990, when whitmire — who has been working in some capacity with the muppets since 1978 — took over .
but know this: breier is already fiercely protective of the muppets. having helped to shift control of these characters from disney consumer products over to the studio side of the mouse factory, she' s now determined to use miss piggy & pals in the way that jim henson originally intended them to be used. not as nostalgic figures who can then be used to sell
pizza hut
products to baby boomers. but - - rather - - as characters who, first & foremost, are meant to entertain.
the muppets studio , llc , formerly the muppets holding company , llc , is a wholly owned entertainment subsidiary of disney consumer products and interactive media labs , formed in 2004 through the walt disney company 's acquisition of the muppets , fraggle rock and bear in the big blue house intellectual properties from the jim henson company . 
the muppets studio, llc, formerly the muppets holding company, llc, is a wholly owned entertainment subsidiary of disney consumer products and interactive media labs, formed in 2004 through the walt disney company's acquisition of the muppets, fraggle rock and bear in the big blue house intellectual properties from the jim henson company.
the muppets studio, llc, formerly the muppets holding company, llc, is a wholly owned entertainment subsidiary of disney consumer products and interactive media labs, formed in 2004 through the walt disney company's acquisition of the muppets, fraggle rock and bear in the big blue house intellectual properties from the jim henson company.