this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2024
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[–] [email protected] 128 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

There's a conversation starter that has popped up in a couple of my friend groups that is similar to this, basically "what movies would be improved by all but one actor being replaced by muppets?" My answer has consistently been Face/Off with Nic Cage as the only human actor. I even threw a poster together...

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 month ago

This is incredible

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Cage playing Gonzo would be magical

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago

Best. Movie. Ever.

[–] [email protected] 72 points 1 month ago (1 children)

So basically the Muppet Treasure Island and Muppet Christmas Carol treatment for cartoons.

Yes, that would clearly work and Disney is squandering the potential.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You clearly didn't watch Muppet Haunted Mansion.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I don't remember hearing about Muppet Haunted Mansion, is it good?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (3 children)

It’s actually very good. I enjoyed it thoroughly

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[–] [email protected] 55 points 1 month ago

This idea makes too much sense and would make way too much money.

Disney board - "Pass"

[–] [email protected] 50 points 1 month ago (2 children)

imagine the merchandizing potential of a muppet Jedi, and Yoda (the only human) is Danny Devito.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago

I want to watch Muppet Flubber, where everyone is a muppet except for Flubber. Also, possibly Honey I Shrunk the Muppets with a human Rick Moranis.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 month ago (16 children)

Also why are these recent live action remakes so boring? Even my children couldn't get past five minutes in any of them.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They try to go as close to the source material (their own version) as possible while following a checklist of fixes. That checklist involves things like CinemaSins-tier critiques of the original, and what corporate execs think as "good representation" (the most corporate-safe way, e.g. gay characters that can be cut out for certain audiences, because you need that money from Saudi, Chinese, Russian, etc. audiences), with the latter being the most blamed for the issues. But the actual greatest issue itself is that they try to redo even the stuff that only works within the realms of animation in live action.

Animation relies on exaggeration, which doesn't work in real life, thus getting rid of the most fun part of the animation medium, just to win over the "cartoons are for children" crowd. This leads to stuff like The Lion King "live action" remake, with its expressionless realistic animals acting out what cartoon animals did in a previous, animated version of The Lion King. The same is in to different extents and versions in all the other "live action" remakes.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They try to go as close to the source material (their own version)

Except they changed Mulan to appease a Chinese audience. Before release everyone thought the remake would be closer to the original story because of the rumor that the movie targeted the Chinese market. But they turned it into a Marvel movie and made Mulan a superhero resulting in that almost everyone disliked the movie.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Everything about that was puzzling. They changed the story supposedly to be more culturally accurate, but what they came up with wasn't culturally accurate at all. How did that happen?

Besides, when Chinese people want a culturally accurate Mulan, they watch one of the many Chinese-made adaptions of the story. The animated was appealing because it was a fresh take, a Disney musical that Chinese could relate to. The remake was just a huge miscalculation.

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[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Please don't remind current-state Disney of this, unless you want to see yet another beloved franchise destroyed in an inconceivable way.

That seems to be Disney's only achievable direction right now. Massacring all creativity out of everything they own for sake of...I can't even tell anymore, but apparently it's somehow not even money.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 month ago (4 children)

We'll end up with a live action The Muppet Movie remake only starring humans.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

It's not just Disney digging the graveyard to sell more rotting remains and wondering why they don't go for top dollar; it's the lot of them. FREAKY FRIDAY is coming out again.

What's next? Non-racist Chitty Chitty bang-bang? Twin child actors again with yet another parent trap?

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 month ago (4 children)

This is basically the same strategy that put Lego back on top. And clearly that's working brilliantly.

Aside: Lego was staring into void until they changed leadership and pivoted to this "license everything" strategy. Why? The patent on their bricks was about to expire. Rather than run on brand recognition alone, they embraced something else that nobody else could get. Disney should take note here: any other studio could start cranking out irreverent send-ups of classic fairy tales, but they won't have Muppets.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Hugh Jackman as "hideous non-Muppet Beast", plus he gets to sing and dance. I know he'd jump at the opportunity.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 month ago

They don't even have to be high budget either I'd watch the lowest budget muppet remake over the highest budget live action remake anyday

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They are too chicken shit to put out a new story, 90% of the time anyhow

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago

Micheal Cane was awesome in the Muppet movie he starred in because he treated his fellow muppets like people.

Tim Curry was awesome in the Muppet movie he starred in because he treated himself like a fellow Muppet.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago (4 children)

I don't get why people love Muppets so much. I pretty much grew up without it, and I think one time my mom let us take a Muppet movie home from the library when I was a kid, and it was.... Alright. I guess.

Anyone care to explain what they like about about them?

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 month ago (2 children)

It’s the craft.

Multiple actors who have played against Sesame Street characters like Elmo have said that they forget there is a human hidden under the puppet - they’re that good.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 month ago (2 children)

As an adult who grew up on sesame street and the muppets, it's just the unabashed wholesomeness that I love. They were preaching inclusivity when I was growing up in a time/place that tried to force conformity. They weren't cool, they were themselves, and that's never a bad message for kids (or adults).

The newer movie (The Muppets 2011), co-written by Jason Segal, who also grew up with The Muppets, captures that vibe perfectly IMHO.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The show is the best of the muppets, not the movies. Some of them are decent, but judging the show by the movies is like trying to understand SNL by watching Blues Brothers and Night at the Roxbury.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago

Said it before I'll say it again, full original trilogy star wars with Muppets, all human characters are Muppets, all muppet aliens are humans (Jaba, Yoda, etc). It would print money

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Have him played by a Hemsworth lol

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (3 children)
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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I can't say about Europe, but Asia doesn't have the cultural pull for the muppets. I suspect China's indifference to the Muppets makes it less lucrative.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They must learn to love them.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

i bet China would love a wuxia muppet film

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

They did own Winnie the Pooh until 2 years ago. What a missed opportunity in China.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

I think they mean how Fiona becomes Ms Shrek

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 month ago (2 children)

No, Beast is someone like Brad Pitt without hideous make up. Just normal Brad Pitt and then when the curse is broken he turns into Grover.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

Brad Pitt is too old now, and not large enough. Henry Cavill.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

they'll make the transformation certifiable body horror

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

The Beast's true form should be Sweetums.

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