In 2004 , almost one year after ownership of the Henson company was returned to the family 's hands , the Jim Henson Company sold the rights to The Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House characters to The Walt Disney Company , who control the Muppets through the wholly owned subsidiary The Muppets Studio , LLC .
In 2004 , they sold the rights to The Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House characters to The Walt Disney Company .