Authentic, Fully Licensed, Muppet Replicas Coming!

[Was Once Ernie]

The next trouble for me after funding it is gaining a big glass box to keep him in for display.

Nothing has been set yet, but I know some of the people involved in this project are pushing for it to come with a display case. Of course, that would add to the price.

 

[BigDumbWookiee]

Yeah, the display case thing seems to always come up with MR. Big cases like this (like what would be needed for Kermit) drive up the costs dramatically. So then people complain because it's too expensive. But people also get mad because it doesn't have a case. Although Im thinking since this is a new line, there really isn't that precedent there that came with the Star Wars products. The other option is to offer it as a side product.

People are pretty upset that the YWing doesn't have a case either, but Steve D from MR did hint at something being in the works to help preserve the piece (not his exact words, sorry, cant find the quote now).

 

[MuppetsRule]

Sign me up for a Kermit replica and display case. I'm definitely getting one!

I still have a hard time understanding how this cheapens Kermit and makes it less special to see the real Kermit. After all, these are still just replicas. What makes Kermit Kermit isn't the ping pong ball eyes, the felt collar, and some green cloth. What makes Kermit Kermit is his heart and soul and personality which is given by the performer. Without their contribution you still have just cloth put together. So to see the real Kermit would still be special. I think I'm smart enough to know the difference between a soul-less replica sitting in a display case and the real Kermit.

 

[GelflingWaldo]

From the Muppet Newsflash

Some Information and another picture: http://muppetnewsflash.blogspot.com/2005/10/master-replicas-muppet-replicas.html

 

[Erine81981]

Some Information and another picture: http://muppetnewsflash.blogspot.com/2005/10/master-replicas-muppet-replicas.html

The proto-type looks just like him. I can't wait and hope that I can afford it. Thanks GW for the info.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Sorry Kevin. I didn't mean it to be rude. Thanks tho for pointing that out for me. I won't have anymore comments like. Nothing aganist it at all.

Yer a gentleman and a scholar! Thank you.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Nothing has been set yet, but I know some of the people involved in this project are pushing for it to come with a display case. Of course, that would add to the price.

I think I would almost rather just have the Kermit come alone because, since I saw the post by Greg above with the picture, I may have to just move myself into a house after all and real soon when/if these do get made to create a nice little scene!!

I REALLY do like that, because he's just awesome!

Now, if I can move Steve Whitmire into my house with this thing so he can talk to me as well, I'll be living high on the hog (sorry, Piggy).

 

[Muppetfreak]

I have but a few things to say on this topic and I will say them in list form:

-Love the replica. Will likely be unable to afford or fit into house.
-To those who say that Jim would never have agreeded to something like this, I would recommend you read one of his biographies. He had a shrine to the almightly dollar in his office. And lest you forget, I must remind you all that the Muppets licensed STASH BOXES a year or two ago. 'Nuff said.
-To those that are decrying the sanctity of the puppet itself, it was Jim Henson himself who placed as little importance on the physical puppet as possible. He would toss them around without a care from what I've read. The soul is not the felt but the spirit of the character.
-Having worked at Sesame and seen drawers of puppets off of people's hands and then Kevin ad libbing with Elmo, they can hand out the actual puppets to random people on the street and it won't make a bit of difference. Its talent and a little magic that makes those characters real and having one in your house isn't going to take that away.

The best thing about this though is Disney is showing a marked understanding that the Muppets are not just for kids because something like this is definately targeted to adult collectors/fans.

(Notice how I keep posting all these really long posts today and yet I have gotten ZERO words written for NaNoWrMo!!!!)

 

[Was Once Ernie]

-To those that are decrying the sanctity of the puppet itself, it was Jim Henson himself who placed as little importance on the physical puppet as possible.

In fact, I once asked Jim about that very thing. I was going to post this in another thread about how the puppets themselves have changed over the years, but here is equally as appropriate.

My feeling is that some of the personality is in the puppet itself. I still think the original Ernie and Cookie Monster had something that was lost when they were rebuilt. But Jim disagreed. The puppet was only a vessel for the performer, who breathed life into it.

 

[ravagefrackle]

-To those who say that Jim would never have agreeded to something like this, I would recommend you read one of his biographies. He had a shrine to the almightly dollar in his office.

Yes he did have that in his office, but it was thier more as a joke than anything, as savy a business man as he was, the bottom line was never the main thought in Jims head,, it was always about the art , and what could be learned from each and every expirement with the medium, and as far as merchandising of the characters, i seem to recall him speaking about this in one of the documntaries from the eighties, and how he was not all that interested in selling the characters on endless items , he thought it was fine for a few items here and thier if a child wanted a red fraggle or a kermit doll, that was fine, but it wasnt the main focus of the company (yes i know thier were many, but no where near the amount of garbage that Dizney has slapped thier icons on)

and i still stand by my feeling that seeing a Taxidermied Pseudo-Kermit sitting in someones house is just creepy, and weird,

i would much rather Disney put thier efforst in to creating some actual content for the muppet library , not just more over priced fodder for the collectors market