D23 EXPO presentation to reveal what Muppets have planned for 2010 & beyond

Jim Hill

15 years ago

For those of you out there who have been grousing about the
Marvel acquisition deal – saying, in essence that “ … Disney’s going to ruin
those characters just like they did the Muppets” … Well, you clearly haven’t
been paying attention to what Kermit & Co. have been up to this year.

The Muppets made news literally on November 17, 2008, when a
trio of Whatnots (who looked suspiciously like Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira
& Al Roker) took over the Today Show for a half hour. Using the lockout of this morning news show’s
human hosts as a clever way to promote the opening of FAO Schwarz’s Muppet
Whatnot Workshop.

Then – on December 17^th – the Muppets came
through again in a big way for NBC. As Miss Piggy & pals appeared in the
new holiday special, “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa.” Which not only
won its time slot but also got nominated for an Emmy. The Peacock network was reportedly
so impressed with this new holiday special’s performance that it’ll be running “Letters
to Santa” again this year with an eye toward possibly making “A Muppets
Christmas” a holiday perennial.

FYI: If you’d like your very own copy of “A Muppets
Christmas: Letters to Santa,” Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is
releasing a version of this holiday special on September 29^th. This single-disc DVD
will feature over 15 minutes of bonus features, including
never-before-seen deleted scenes from this television special as well as an all
new documentary-style featurette entitled “Searching for Santa Claus.”

Speaking of Muppet merchandising, Miss Piggy made the round
in February of 2009. Popping up on “Today” & “The View” to promote her new
book, “The Diva Code: Miss Piggy on Life, Love, and the 10,000 Idiotic Things Frogs Do.”

Meanwhile over on the Internet, Beaker was causing a
sensation with his newest viral video, “Ode to Joy.” Which – to date – has had
more than 6.2 million views and has since gone on to win a Webby.

Then when you factor in how well those Muppet comic books

that BOOM! Studios has been churning out have been selling …

It’s clear that Kermit & Co. are approaching critical
mass. That the Muppets are about to step back into the spotlight in a big way.

Don’t believe me? Then check out that
Seth-Rogen-as-Rowlf-the-Dog skit that Saturday Night aired back in April. Or –
better yet — that Kermit-the-Frog dress that Lady Gaga wore back in July.

And how Kermit & Miss Piggy just performed last week on
this Summer’s No. 1 TV show, “America’s Got Talent.”

Yeah, the Walt Disney Company certainly seems to think that the Muppets are now
due for a big comeback. Which is why Parks & Resorts built an entire promotional
campaign for the Disneyland Resort around this beloved set of characters. FYI:
The first ads featuring footage that was shot in the Park last month should
begin airing on television in October.

In the coming months, there’ll be great new pieces of
merchandise hitting the market (like eFX Inc. ‘s “Muppet” Photo Puppet Replicas)
…

Photo by Nancy Stadler

… And in 2010, there’ll be another television special and a
Muppet theatrical release and new Whatnots going up for sale at FAO Schwarz and
…

Look, if you really want to know what’s going on with the
Muppets in 2010 & beyond, then you have to make your way to the D23 EXPO
this coming Sunday. Where – starting at 1 p.m. in the Walt Disney Studios
Theater – Lylle Breier (who’s the senior vice president & general manager
of Special Events & the Muppets at the Mouse House) will be taking the
stage. And with the help of a celebrity or two, Lyelle will reveal what the
coming years has in store for Kermit & Co.

Trust me, folks. This is really going to be one “sensational,
celebrational, Muppetational” presentation. So if you’re a Muppet fan, you really owe it
to yourself to inside of the Anaheim
Convention Center this coming Sunday afternoon.

Just be sure to save me a seat down front, okay?