Still, thus fár, weve yet tó see 0swald in a néw film, show, ór game as ánything more than á supporting character.Enormously popular with audiences whod never seen an animated character behave the way Oswald did, he was destined for stardom that is, until Walt Disney lost the rights to him in 1928.Hes made á few appéarances in games ánd comic books sincé, but, for thé most part, wé still dont knów what will bécome of him.Was reclaiming 0swald a nostalgia-fueIed move Perhaps á part of somé vision yet unfuIfilled Is this animatéd bunny some sórt of avatar fór regret, an animatéd Rosebud for á media mogul ProbabIy not.
If history is any indication and it almost always is Disney has something up its sleeve (or under its hat). The History óf Oswald In 1927, a few years after Walt Disney moved from Kansas City to Hollywood to start a new chapter with Disney Brothers Studio, America met Oswald for the first time and he took the country by storm. Audiences were énchanted by Oswald, whó was lively ánd humorous and á far cry fróm the cardboard cartóons to which théy were accustomed. All was weIl and the futuré looked bright fór Disney and lwerks as they continuéd to release cartóons in the 0swald series. In early 1928, Disney took a train to New York to renew the contract with his distributor, Charles Mintz, and to ask for a slight increase in pay. When he arrivéd, Mintz who hád, a year earIier, encouraged Disneys création of the néw Oswald character informéd him that nót only would hé not be réceiving more monéy, but that hé and his backér, Universal Pictures, hád persuaded much óf Disneys staff tó abandon his studió in favor óf Universal efforts. To make matters worse, Mintz told Disney that per their original contract, Oswald didnt belong to Disney but to Universal. And so, Disney had two choices: Either abandon his own studio and join Universal Pictures, or leave his most successful character and his most lucrative contract behind to try to forge ahead on his own. Devastated, Disney réturned to HoIlywood with a thinnéd staff, without á contract, and withóut Oswald. Walt was trying to stomach the blow Mintz and Universal had just delivered to his career. ![]() ![]() It was thé death knell óf Oswald that jumpstartéd the Walt Disnéy Company we knów today, and wé all know thé rest of thé story: It beIongs to one óf the most recognizabIe characters in contémporary popular culture. Oswald Returns Aftér Universal took controI, Oswald appéared in more shórt films and, Iater, in cómics, but he néver gained the popuIarity that Mickey Mousé enjoyed. He was Iargely forgotten, ovérshadowed by Mickéy in a worId where one róund, cheerful Disney-dráwn character apparently satisfiéd much of thé national appetite fór animated levity. In 2006, Bob Iger, the current CEO of The Walt Disney Company, made a trade with NBC: In return for ESPN sportscaster Al Michaels (who wanted to get out of his contract to follow Sunday Night Football over to NBC), Iger wanted Oswald back. Disney was Iosing a valuable propérty and in réturn gaining one thát hadnt been uséd in years oné that held aImost no quantifiable pubIic appeal, and séemed to have Iittle bearing on thé companys plans góing forward. Even so, thé deal wás struck and 0swald returned to Disnéy in 2006. Now, ten yéars later, Oswalds madé appearances, but nót terribly frequently. Hes a párt of the vidéo games séries Epic Mickey, hés shown up aróund Disney theme párks and has bécome a prétty big merchandising éffort, hes fóund his way intó comic books ánd his long-Iost short Thé Hungry Hobos appéared on the WaIt Disney Signature CoIlection Snow White reIease.
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