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Another one?[]
This article talks about another Henson biopic. I don't think it is the same. Anyone else have thoughts? -- Nate (talk) 22:02, December 12, 2009 (UTC)
- Actually, you're right. This film is a Robert D. Slane script, LA Times is a Christopher Weekes script. Looking at their filmographies, they don't seem to have worked together at any point, so it's not even a writing team. Of interest, IMDb has a page about Empire's film. Anyway, I've got an email out to Empire, asking what happened to their script; I sent it as the "Children TV Examiner (Canada)", with the promise of coverage in my column if they reply. -- Zanimum 15:04, December 14, 2009 (UTC)
- I'll also point out that in February 2008, Nicole Goldman at JHC denied any connection to the project. -- Zanimum 15:06, December 14, 2009 (UTC)
- See also: Talk:The Muppet Man —Scott (talk) 19:51, December 15, 2009 (UTC)
One year[]
Tomorrow marks the 1-year anniversary of Empire's announcement that they purchaced the script for this potential project. Since then not a peep has been made as to any further development of the project. -- Brad D. (talk) 22:20, 3 February 2009 (UTC)
- Yeah, I think we can move this to Unfinished (or wait until tomorrow if we're feeling persnickety about it.) -- Danny (talk) 22:25, 3 February 2009 (UTC)
Dropped?[]
The February press release said that the film would begin shooting this summer. It's late September, there's been no more news, and the film isn't mentioned on Empire Film Group's website. It's only been seven months, but I have a feeling this may be moving to the Unfinished Projects category any day now. Anybody have thoughts? -- Danny (talk) 00:33, 27 September 2008 (UTC)
- It was just announced this year. Movies stay in development for much longer than that. I think we can wait until we hear something. —Scott (talk) 00:36, 27 September 2008 (UTC)
- I'm mostly thinking about the "summer 2008" shooting date that they announced. No mention on the website after that isn't a good sign. If it has been dropped, we won't ever hear anything. Empire Film Group themselves don't say that this film is "In Development" anymore, so why should we? -- Danny (talk)00:39, 27 September 2008 (UTC)
- Personally, I doubt waiting a bit to recategorize will make much difference either way. Lack of news doesn't always mean anything, *nut* this project sounded pretty iffy from the outset and Empire Film isn't the highest profile firm for completing or securing a release for any project outside of straight to video horror and a Pamela Anderson flick. As noted earlier, they have a fairly meager track record in general, and their site shows a whole lot of hopeful projects which may or may not see the light of day. So it probably will go into Unfinished Projects, but since the original notice dated from the option announcement and a tentative schedule, and even the *major* studios have had filming delays, I don't see any real harm in waiting awhile longer, at least, say a full year (for that matter, consider how long the Fraggle movie went before any signs of actual movement occurred, though there is admittedly difference between a Fraggle movie made by Henson which everyone wants to see and a Henson biopic scripted by some guy which maybe one might sort of want to see if it's made, but it's the same principle as far as jumping the gun). Also, as far as the website, I'm not sure Empire *ever* mentioned it, did they, outside of that press release? -- Andrew Leal (talk) 00:45, 27 September 2008 (UTC)
- Well, we haven't heard anything about the Fraggle movie since May, either, so that may not be the greatest example. I think experience shows that the Henson Company very rarely makes anything that they announce they're making. Apparently that holds true for Empire as well. -- Danny (talk) 0:48, 27 September 2008 (UTC)
- I don't see why the Fraggle movie is bad example, inasmuch as we have heard info since May, even storyboard images, and an update just this past week. Only, of course, none of it came from Henson, but from the current screenwriter's blog, but enough to show actual movement, at least for now. And of course, we haven't recategorized Power of the Dark Crystal yet either, which probably deserves it more. I understand not wanting to keep stuff around that's dead, but right now we're dealing with a *probably* dead based on past experience. Of course nobody will admit when it's dead, but I don't see why recategorizing it today or tomorrow as opposed to next month or after a year sans news has passed is a priority. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 00:52, 27 September 2008 (UTC)
- Oh, I didn't know that... It's not on our article. Anyway, that's another discussion for another page. Meanwhile, I just posted on Talk:Power of the Dark Crystal.... -- Danny (talk) 00:55, 27 September 2008 (UTC)
- Yeah, it's ongoing. Outside of the cool storyboard art and definitive proof that drafts have been sent in and meetings being held on, nothing's cropped up really worth a Wiki update, but we could more specifically note that work is still going on with updates at that blog. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 01:00, 27 September 2008 (UTC)
Release dates[]
Just a note, I took this item off of the 2009 timeline since the only source for the claim is Greg James' Muppet Newsflash, whose post otherwise parrots the original press announcements, so unless he has some other unknown source (which I doubt), it looks like speculation (Scott already removed it from this article for the same reason). While live action movies *usually* take less time to make (certainly less than the average Creature Shop movie), so far all that's happened is that the screenplay has been bought, a starting budget set, summer 2008 chosen as the tentative filming start date, and absolutely nobody else attached in any way. It all depends on how long it takes to find a director, stars, whether they start filming on time, and so on (not to mention the WGA contract negotiations still pending resolution, possibly nearing it; the upcoming SGA contract negotiations; rights issues negotiations for use of puppet characters, songs, archive footage, and who knows what else, and no word at all yet what the Henson family or the Jim Henson Company think about it, and getting waivers from them). In general, for even an indie live action film, one and a half to two years tends to be the average minimum, from pre to post-production, and biopics almost always take longer. To date, Empire Film Group's resume is limited to exactly one theatrical film, Blonde and Blonder starring Pamela Anderson, which itself took two years from when actual production started, with an unreleased straight to DVD horror and a theatrical movie called The Game in the works and supposedly expected sometime this year (with the latter appearently made in conjunction with Spyglass Media, which should speed things up). So until an official source from Empire announces 2009 as their projected date, it strikes me as safer to just leave it off, since again, the project has just been announced and a heckuva lot could happen, or not happen, in the coming months and year. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 20:26, 7 February 2008 (UTC)
- As a reporter for Wikinews, I've contacted JHC, asking regarding authorization from the company or the family. I'll probably send a line to Sesame Workshop and Disney tomorrow. -- Zanimum 21:07, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
- Nicole Goldman, VP of marketing and publicity at Henson, says "Thank you for contacting The Jim Henson Company. The project you reference is not affiliated with our company or the Henson family in any way and as policy we do not comment on non-Henson related business or productions." So not authorized. -- Zanimum 18:49, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Would you like me to clarify further? Also, would anyone like a forwarded copy of the email, to vouch for its authenticity? -- Zanimum 17:24, 29 February 2008 (UTC)
- Added. -- Zanimum 19:00, 29 February 2008 (UTC)