Disney Takes Muppet Script Through Pixar

[Mupp]

Just to clear the waters... there is NO chance of the new Muppet movie being CGI. Any and all rumors or quandaries of that should be immediately dispelled. Pixar is ONLY helping with the story element of the script, nothing else. Fear not!

Yup.

To worry about such a thing is simply nonsense.

No offense to anyone, but judging from some of the worries about CGI here, I question if people have actually read the article.

"Some of the members of the so-called "Pixar Brain Trust" -- filmmakers John Lasseter, Brad Bird, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Michael Arndt, Bob Peterson and president Ed Catmull -- were there for the consultations."

The article also referred to the movie as "live-action".

There are simply getting advice on the story, nothing more.

So as Prawncracker said, such worries should be dispelled. This is how bad rumors get started.

 

[Luke]

Well, if this is the case, I'm just hoping that this doesn't mean it will be CGI. Don't get me wrong, I loved Toy Story 3, but it would just be hard to watch a Muppet movie without the puppetry.

It won't be CGI (although i would think there may be some CGI "nods" to Diz characters maybe) - its just the puppetry story process is similar to animation, and there are people at Pixar who have worked with similar kinds of writing, some even puppetry. I can see why they'd like it to be a Pixar thing, even if it is just advice for now it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to become known for Muppets as well.

 

[Drtooth]

It won't be CGI (although i would think there may be some CGI "nods" to Diz characters maybe) - its just the puppetry story process is similar to animation, and there are people at Pixar who have worked with similar kinds of writing, some even puppetry. I can see why they'd like it to be a Pixar thing, even if it is just advice for now it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to become known for Muppets as well.

As I said, all movies, be they puppet, cartoon or otherwise all have to go through similar processes when writing and storyboarding is involved.

But I'm really thinking that Disney knows what to do with movies now. I just realized something. This news is coming after Sorcerer's Apprentice flopped. I'm starting to think they're going to filter a good deal of their movies through them from now on to make sure they aren't fugly pieces of Nicholas Cage. Disney is playing it very safe with the Muppets... they canceled one project because it would have been extremely rushed (the 2008 political special) and one has been on indefinite hiatus (until the movie's finished) to get a better, more planned out script. They aren't flooding the market with merchandise just yet... and they definitely want to make sure this movie goes as smoothly as possible.

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

This is fantastic news, I think, and can only be a positive sign for the new Muppet movie. I'm excited to see what Jason Segel and Nick Stoller can come up with, because I appreciate their senses of humor in their films, but collaboration with the story folks at Pixar can only be a positive step. The reason Pixar films often feel so perfect is because they've taken so long to work through the story. Not just the storyboarding, layout, and other pre-production issues, but the emotional through-lines for the characters and the structure of the story itself. That's the reason their films are so successful--sure there is always beautiful animation, laugh-out-loud gags, etc., but most importantly the story (and the movie itself) just feels right.

So YAY for a Pixar / Muppets story collaboration! I've been hoping for that ever since they all fell under the same corporate umbrella. Pixar films to me have always been the modern embodiment of that Muppet-y blend of zaniness and heart that I admire so much.

 

[MelissaY1]

If it was a Pixar CGI film, I couldn't really complain.

This is a ...well... weird good step in the right direction. I'm sure they'll ad some great input to the film. After all, this is another step closer to it being made. But on the other hand, I hope the input is very minor so we don't have major rewrites here and there so this thing can go into production on their schedule. And I really have to admit... it's weird taking it to the animation department, since it is a live action movie. I don't like this odd new logic that Puppetry = animation if that's the case.

I wish Pixar was in charge of more that goes on with Disney... maybe we'd actually have a new series of TV cartoons or something. At least more theatrical shorts featuring the old characters.

I'm just not a CGI fan, Pixar or not. I'm VERY old school lol

 

[MelissaY1]

Just to clear the waters... there is NO chance of the new Muppet movie being CGI. Any and all rumors or quandaries of that should be immediately dispelled. Pixar is ONLY helping with the story element of the script, nothing else. Fear not!

Ryan, Never meant to imply that it was going to be a CGI film. I know exactly why they are turning to Pixar for story and character development, etc. It's a very smart move on their part. I was only joking with my original comment because I'm just not a fan of CGI, Pixar or not.

I am sure they know better than to change our beloved characters and keep them as actual puppets.

 

[MelissaY1]

THANK YOU!

CGI will never replace puppetry! But what are your feelings about Henson's Digital Puppetry from Sid The Science Kid?

Anyway, I'm sure they'll make a great movie with The Muppets!

From what little I've seen of it, it's fine because while I always thought CGI was cool as a tool, and I get why studios use it today, it's fine. But Sid the Science Kid and the Frances series and some of the other stuff they branched off with doing the CGI is separate from the usual Henson/Muppet stuff so it works.

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

I'm really glad they did that.

There are two things the folks at Pixar are really good at:

1. Knowing which parts of a story work and which parts don't.
2. How to make a really good family film.

BRING ON 2011!

 

[GuySmileyfan]

WHOOPPEE! I'm so excited. I hope Rowlf is going to be in it. Because he's so cute and cuddly.

 

[Mupp]

I'm just not a CGI fan, Pixar or not. I'm VERY old school lol

Just remember, even if a film is hand-drawn, that doesn't necessarily mean that its better than a CGI film. A hand-drawn film can still stink if it has a bad story.

Currently, Disney Animation plans to continue making both CGI and hand-drawn films. (A hand-drawn Winnie-the-Pooh film is coming up)
It is not fair to expect Disney to only make hand-drawn films, that would be imposing a certain technology on the studio. Walt Disney was a fan of innovation after all.

Story (the writing) is what is important, and I'm glad that John Lasseter knows that, and is having an influence on Disney Animation.

I'm also glad that they are spending so much time on the new Muppet film.