It looks like Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are up for sale. According to a report from CNBC, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., who is the son of original creator Ross Bagdasarian Sr., is looking to sell the rights to the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise and Bagdasarian Productions.
Bagdasarian Jr., along with his wife Janice Karman, is reportedly looking to sell the rights for a staggering $300 million. According to the report, they have had meetings with several buyers, most notably ViacomCBS, but no agreement on terms has been made as of this writing. The husband and wife duo first tried to sell the company and the franchise four years ago but ended up scrapping the decision.
The Chipmunks brand was created in 1958 when their voice was first used in the song “Witch Doctor.” The characters got their signature names in their first featured song, 1958 holiday staple, “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late).” That’s when we first learned of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, the three chipmunks who live with Dave Seville, their manager and father figure. Over the years, the characters have gone on to be pop culture icons having been featured in multiple animated series and films, as well as their own live-action films.
Studios are always looking to acquire popular IP to bolster their catalog and Alvin and the Chipmunks would be the dream get for just about any studio. When the property was taken to 20th Century Fox for the 2007 live-action adaptation and its three sequels, $1.3 billion in worldwide box office was made and that was even with a poor critical reaction. Given the fact that Disney currently owns the four live-action movies following their acquisition of 20th Century Fox, perhaps they’ll want to put out an offer for The Chipmunks, even though they have plenty of IP to go around.
Where do YOU think Alvin and the Chipmunks will end up?