Elmo's World Explores Faces on DVD

Sesame Workshop and Genius Products are planning to release a band-new DVD entitled "Elmo's World: All About Faces!" on September 1, 2009. This 56-minute DVD will feature three complete episode of "Elmo's World" focusing on the face - noses, eyes and mouths.

"Elmo's World" stars the loveable Muppet Elmo along with his goldfish Dorothy and his silent human friend Mr. Noodles. In this collection of episodes Elmo learns about winking and whistling, he discovers that the optometrist can help you take care of your eyes, he finds out why it's important to blow your nose; and learns how brushing your teeth will help keep your mouth happy. Episodes on this DVD feature appearances by Cookie Monster, Bert & Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, and special guest Fred Newman.

Bonus features on this DVD include the all-new "Elmo's Make-a-Face" game, which allows players to mix-and-match facial features (such as eyes and noses) to create their own unique Sesame Street characters. I will be sure to keep you posted with more information on this title as more details become available.

Beaker at The Webby Awards

As previously reported, Beaker won a Webby! Beaker's "Ode to Joy" music video was earned a People's Voice Award at the 13th annual Webby Awards. Beaker appeared live at the awards ceremony on Monday night to accept the Webby and make a brief speech. Watch what happened below:

eFX Inc to Produce Authentic Muppet Photo Puppets

It was announced today that eFX Inc. is picking up the license to produce authentic Muppet "Photo Puppet" replicas. Disney is partnering to eFX to produce highly-collectible Muppet pieces. The license was previously held by Master Replicas, who produced three Muppet replicas between 2006 and 2008 – Kermit the Frog, Animal and the Great Gonzo. eFX plans to continuing this class of collectibles with more full-sized Muppet "photo puppets." These life-size, full-body "photo puppets" will be highly detailed and skillfully crafted collectibles.

The line of Muppet replicas is said to kick-off with such characters as Rizzo the Rat, Reporter Kermit, Pepe the King Prawn, and Miss Piggy. The company is also looking into the feasibility of producing a full-scale Fozzie Bear replica down the road.

Proto-types for the debut "photo puppets" are already in the works and eFX plans to preview several pieces from their Disney collection during the San Diego Comic-Con in July, and at Disney’s first-ever D23 Expo in September. For more information on eFX’s current and upcoming collectible pieces, visit the eFX website - efxcollectibles.com. I will be sure to keep you updated as more information becomes available on this new line of high-quality collectors' products.

"Letters to Santa" DVD Details!

Just hours ago we reported that the 2008 holiday special "A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa" would be coming to DVD this fall. The collectable DVD release will hit stores on September 29, 2009. Since our initial report I've received even more details on this exciting release from the fine folks at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Aside from the complete hour-long television special, the DVD will also include over 15-minutes of original bonus material! The bonus features include an all new documentary-style featurette entitled "Searching for Santa Claus," plus a collection of never-before-seen deleted scenes from the special. The single-disc DVD release will come in an eye-catching collectable o-sleeve package and will carry the suggested retail price of $26.99.

"A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa" features the Muppet gang on a quest to get three misplaced letters to Santa Claus before Christmas Eve. The musical special features appearances by Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Richard Griffiths, Jane Krakowski, Petra Nemcova, Uma Thurman, Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa, Michael Bloomberg, Madison Pettis and Paul Williams. The special, directed by Kirk Thatcher, was written by Hugh Fink, Scott Ganz, Andrew Samson, and Paul Williams.

I will keep you updated with any more information on this exciting holiday release as information becomes available.

Muppets Deliver "Letters to Santa" on DVD this September

"A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa", the Muppet's 2008 NBC television special, is coming to DVD! Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has announced plans to release the holiday production on DVD in time for the 2009 holiday season, hitting DVD stores on September 29, 2009.

In the special, the Muppets accidently divert three letters on their way to Santa Claus, so Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, Rizzo and Pepe set off to hand-delivering the letters to Santa before Christmas Eve. The 1-hour musical special features appearances by Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Richard Griffiths, Jane Krakowski, Petra Nemcova, Uma Thurman, Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa, Michael Bloomberg, Madison Pettis and Paul Williams.

Additional details for this release (such as bonus features, cover art and other techincal specifications) have not been announced at this time. I will be sure to keep you updated with more information on this release as soon as more details are confirmed.

Henson Goes on a Monster Safari

It has been announced that the Jim Henson Company is planning to produce a stop-animated feature entitled "Monster Safari." The creative team at the renown stop-motion animation studio Screen Novelties - Mark Caballero, Chris Finnegan and Seamus Walsh - will animate and direct the project; while Craig Zobel and Matt Chapman are said to be penning the script.

"Monster Safari" began life as a short film from Screen Novelties that Henson executives Lisa Henson and Jason Lust saw and decided to spin into a feature. The film follows the adventures of Basil and Pang, two charmingly inept cryptozoologists in search of Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and other mythical beasts. However things become complicated when Buckminster, the world's most insane big-game hunter, begins hunting the beasts. Basil and Pang spring into action in an attempt to save the rare creatures from the ruthless hunter.

Jason Lust, Senior Vice President of Feature Films for the Jim Henson Company, said of the project: "What's great about Screen Novelties is their look and feel is very Henson-esque. There was a stylistic similarity... [the writers] have a wry, witty sense of humor that fits perfectly with the Henson and the Screen Novelties approach to comedy."

I will be sure to keep you updated as soon as more information on this upcoming film becomes available.

Fozzie Bear's "Late Late Show" Cameo

Fozzie Bear made a surprise appearance in the cold-opening of last night's episode of CBS's "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson." The Muppets' resident stand-up comedian appeared in a brief skit with "Late Late Show" guest Denis Leary. If you missed this unannounced cameo appearance, you can watch the whole bit in the video player below courtesy of CBS.com. Enjoy!

Henson Alternative Teams Up with Microsoft for "Mann-ster"

As previously reported, the Jim Henson Company has partnered with Film.com to produce two original web series under their Henson Alternative banner. These two series, "Simian Undercover Detective Squad" and "Alt/Reality", are planned to debut on the web later this year. The company is also partnering with Microsoft to produce an original Henson Alternative webseries. The new series is being developed by the Henson Company for Microsoft's Zune.

The upcoming series, entitled "Mann-ster", will be a live-action puppet series about a hapless man who works as a mall cop by day, but turns into a crime-fighting hamster at night.

Producers are aiming to distribute "Mann-ster" for the viewing on Microsoft's Zune media player with the potential for additional distribution via the MSN online and Xbox Live platforms. I will be sure to keep you updated with more details this upcoming Henson Alternative project as more details are confirmed.