Talk:Oswald the lucky Rabbit
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Disney and the ownership of the character
[edit]According to the article, Disney's rights to Oswald does not include the Universal-produced Oswald films and other related products were not included, but the original 26 short films made by Disney and the character itself are included. But the character has evolved a lot since Disney and Ub Iwerks left and created Mickey Mouse instead. In the comic book the character evolved so much from its origin that all it has common is being a rabbit and the name. The universe where the Oswald from the comic books are living are also very different from where he started, sharing it with Woody Woodpecker and other new and familiar comic animals. So what is someone wants to make an animated feature based on the Oswald from the comic books instead of the original Oswald? Would Disney still have the ownership? If they do, would it then be OK if they changed the name, but kept everything else from the late comic version of Oswald?
A new Oswald cartoon
[edit]Everything seems to indicate there will be a new Oswald cartoon:
"As we've said before, Lasseter and Catmull want to put a bunch of new animated shorts into production, the idea being that a new one will be up in front of each new animated feature as it lifts off at the box office. The thought originally was (we're told) to get a new one produced for "Meet the Robinsons," but its release schedule is too tight for that to happen. So, a Golden Oldie will be dusted off for "Robinsons," and new one-reelers created for the animated features sitting further down the tarmac." (http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/dancing-to-and-fromand-todisney.html)
"Word is that Lasseter has a very smart and productive approach to getting the division used to seeing pencils in the building again: he’s approved production of two short films to be produced in hand-drawn animation (and one of them will bring back to the big screen one of the studio’s most successful short-format stars) thus creating both a production pipeline for one of animation’s most rewarding forms of entertainment and a kind of artists’ gym for getting into shape and getting ready to tackle what will doubtless be the glorious and triumphant return of the Disney of old. This is similar to the R & D attitude Pixar has toward short films, and one that Walt himself believed in right up until he died."
(http://www.laughingplace.com/News-PID510530-510532.asp)
"Given that Oswald-related merchandise is still very popular in Japan, Disney's reportedly looking into creating some brand-new animation of this classic cartoon character as he appeared back in the 1920s. So that this lucky rabbit can then make appearances on cellular phones and/or on other handheld devices."
"The story that I've heard from a number of Disney insiders is that it was actually an article that ran on Jerry Beck & Amid Amidi's excellent Cartoon Brew website back in January of 2005 that reportedly put Oswald the Lucky Rabbit on Iger's radar." (http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2006/02/09/751.aspx)
"Those that showed up were treated to a warm performance by new CEO Iger, who has seemingly made reconciliation part of the central focus of his tenure to date. While still CEO-elect, Iger eased the exit of Harvey and Bob Weinstein from Miramax and negotiated a peaceful end to the Save Disney campaign. In recent days, he has engineered the return of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney's first star cartoon character, and the purchase of Pixar Animation Studios." (http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=bm060314mg)
"Recently, a team led by John Lasseter bought back the rights to Oswald from Universal, with plans to make new short cartoons and even a feature length movie with Oswald." (http://scribbleking.typepad.com/movie_scribblings/2006/06/the_return_of_o.html)
"John Lassiter apparently has plans for Oswald... Animated shorts... an Animated Feature possibly... we'll have to wait and see." (http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=23705)