One of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ oldest cartoon stars is getting a new series on Disney+, courtesy of Jon Favreau. The five-time Emmy-nominated writer/producer of The Mandalorian and 2016’s live-action The Jungle Book remake is bringing a new vision of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to screens, according to Deadline.
First introduced in the short Trolley Troubles (1927), Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, and starred in 27 Walt Disney Studio cartoons before being snapped up by Universal Pictures. By hopping away from the studio, Oswald left an opening for a different shorts-sporting rodent to take the Disney spotlight and change animation history: Mickey Mouse.
When an Oswald-themed video game was pitched in 2003, then-President of Disney Bob Iger became determined to bring the bunny back into the studio’s stable of characters, and The Walt Disney Co. acquired the trademark from NBCUnivesal in 2006. The character made his big return in the 2010 video game Epic Mickey, and has since appeared in theme parks, comics, follow-up games and merch.
Oswald returned to animation after an 85-year absence in the Oscar-nominated 2013 short Get a Horse!, making a brief cameo in the throwback toon. He also makes a quick appearance in the 2023 hybrid short Once Upon a Studio. He finally starred in own modern short in 2022, which was directed by celebrated Disney veteran Eric Goldberg and released to YouTube as part of the ramp-up to Disney’s 100th Anniversary celebrations.
Favreau is currently directing and producing The Mandalorian and Grogu for Lucasfilm, due to launch on Disney+ in 2026.
[Source: Deadline]
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