History WesternAnimation / OswaldTheLuckyRabbit

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm'' and as one of villagers for ''VideoGame/DisneyDreamlightValley'' as part of its "Eternity Isle" expansion, not to mention that ''Epic Mickey''--the game that brought him back into the limelight--is getting a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] in 2024. Due to the character entering public domain in 2023,[[note]] That's not to say that Disney has lost control of Oswald, far from it, because much like Mickey, Oswald is still trademarked by Disney, and his later iterations, like the one from ''Epic Mickey'' are still copyrighted.[[/note]] an independent horror movie take on the character, ''Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole'' is in development and is set to be released in 2025.

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm'', not to mention that ''Epic Mickey''--the game that brought him back into the limelight--is getting a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] in 2024. Due to the character entering public domain in 2023,[[note]] That's not to say that Disney has lost control of Oswald, far from it, because much like Mickey, Oswald is still trademarked by Disney, and his later iterations, like the one from ''Epic Mickey'' are still copyrighted.[[/note]] an independent horror movie take on the character, ''Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole'' is in development and is set to be released in 2025.

** He briefly reprises the song again in "Mars", when the King of Mars asks him about it--[[StockFootage some of the drawings from "Africa" are even reused in this scene!]]

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm''. Due to the character entering public domain in 2023,[[note]] That's not to say that Disney has lost control of Oswald, far from it, because much like Mickey, Oswald is still trademarked by Disney, and his later iterations, like the one from ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' are still copyrighted.[[/note]] an independent horror movie take on the character, ''Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole'' is in development and is set to be released in 2025.

Or at least, that was how it seemed -- until 2006, when things finally got better. Bob Iger became CEO of Disney, ending the tumultuous tenure of Michael Eisner. Having worked at ABC his entire career, Iger took a crash course in the company's history, and learning the story of Oswald, he was shocked and became determined to bring Disney's first character home. Then the perfect opportunity presented itself. In exchange for trading Al Michaels, a sportscaster, to NBC Universal[[note]]Al Michaels was traded to NBC's Sunday Night Football, as ABC lost the broadcast rights to ''Series/MondayNightFootball'' which moved to Creator/{{ESPN}}, replacing their version of Sunday Night Football in terms of prominence of games broadcast; also included in the deal were some rights to Olympics footage and Friday broadcasts of the Ryder Cup for ESPN[[/note]], Disney acquired all of the rights to Oswald and his shorts (excluding the post-Disney Universal cartoons), and in 2007, they reintroduced the world to the character via a two-disc DVD collection called '''Walt Disney Treasures: The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit'''. A handful of the Lantz Oswalds were also included on the two WesternAnimation/WoodyWoodpecker DVD sets released around the same time and a further two of them appeared on Creator/TheCriterionCollection's DVD and Blu-Ray release of ''Film/KingOfJazz'' about a decade later.

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm''. Due to the character entering public domain in 2023,[[note]] That's not to say that Disney has lost control of Oswald, far from it, because much like Mickey, Oswald is still trademarked by Disney, as that would cause customer confusion, and his later iterations, like the one from ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' are still copyrighted.[[/note]] an independent horror movie take on the character, ''Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole'' is in development and is set to be released in 2025.

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm''. Due to the character entering public domain in 2023,[[note]] That's not to say that Disney has lost control of Oswald, far from it, because much like Mickey, Oswald is still trademarked by Disney, as that would cause customer confusion, and his later iterations, like the one from ''VideoGame/Epic Mickey'' are still copyrighted.[[/note]] an independent horror movie take on the character, ''Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole'' is in development and is set to be released in 2025.

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm''. Due to the character entering public domain in 2023, an independent horror movie take on the character, ''Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole'' is in development and is set to be released in 2025.

** The original Oswald Shorts, His design - which funnily enough, had red shorts-, and characters as they were featured were never renewed in their rights by Universal because he wasnt selling as much as uner Walt. Theoretically, ''Disney could have eventually been able to use Oswald either way during his lifetime, in 1956. A full decade before he passed'' and the "rights" were more or less superfluous to an animation studio that built its catalog mainly ''out'' of public domain works.
** Disney became more and more notorious for extending Copyright to keep hold of Mickey Mouse as a brand distinctly because of Walt losing Oswald, essentially [[HeWhoFightsMonsters becoming the same kind of entertainment entity that screwed over their founder]]. It eventually got to the point that the end of a copyright exceeded a person's usual lifespan (95 years, the life expectancy at time of writing is ''79.25'') and they -rather expectedly- couldn't extend it ''when they tried to get it further past that.'' Ultimately this led to Mickey Mouse, Oswald's direct successor, and content also becoming public domain. Most notably in one of his most arguably recognizable portrayals, ''Steamboat Willie.''
** Once Disney ostensibly got the rights for Oswald back, Apart from a starring role in [[VideoGame/EpicMickey Epic Mickey]], the company did not utilize him for mainline projects. Despite his importance to animation and to Disney's history, Oswald has mainly been utilized in cameos, advertising and shorts, and he is not a part of the Mickey Mouse branding. to date his only attraction is a gas station-themed souvenir shop in Disney California Adventure, the theme park based more around Disney subsidiary properties.

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm''. Due to the character entering public domain in 2023, an independent horror movie take on the character, "Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole" is in development and is set to be released in 2025.

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm''. Due to the character entering public domain in 2023, an independent horror movie take on the character, ''Oswald: Down the Rabbit Hole" is in development and is set to be released in 2025.

As if things weren't good enough already for the old bunny, he made his full comeback, as the [[LongLostRelative older half-brother]] of [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]], in the 2010 video game ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' and with the announcement of Creator/DisneyPlus (Disney's own streaming service), [[https://wdwnt.com/2019/07/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-animated-series-coming-to-disney/ Disney has announced that Oswald will have his first animation series]], his first involvement in cartoons since the ''late 1940s''[[note]]Not counting his cameo in the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''[[/note]], [[WhatCouldHaveBeen though said show would end up getting scrapped]] in production as revealed by Matt Danner. However, Oswald eventually received a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqgAUu3Vxo&ab_channel=WaltDisneyAnimationStudios brand-new short]] produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Eric Goldberg to celebrate the company's 100th birthday, indicating that Disney haven't ''completely'' forgotten about him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBI-C45Bfg&ab_channel=GIVENCHY Another brand short]] featuring Oswald was released on December 15th to promote Oswald collection by Givenchy in collaboration with Disney. And in the same year, Oswald would make an [[UnexpectedCharacter unexpected cameo]] in the Disney-distributed ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. In addition, he has a Fate card in Pete's set in the Disney Villainous board game, makes a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'', and appears as a playable racer in ''VideoGame/DisneySpeedstorm''.

While Creator/{{Disney}} has created many iconic cartoon characters throughout the decades, we must never lose sight of one thing, [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse that it was all started by a...]] ''[[BaitAndSwitch rabbit?]]''

The original cartoon star of animation duo Creator/WaltDisney and his longtime friend and partner Creator/UbIwerks[[note]]if one doesn't count ''[[WesternAnimation/AliceComedies Julius the Cat]]''[[/note]], ''Oswald the Lucky Rabbit'' was once an all-but-forgotten, but very important, character in the HistoryOfAnimation. Despite how obscure he remained for many years, his presence would wind up having a large impact on the future of the cartoon industry as a whole, laying the groundwork and paving the way for Walt Disney's [[WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts future]] [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon projects]] which would change animation forever.

While it didn't reach the level of success of Fleischer's WesternAnimation/KokoTheClown or Messmer's WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat, the ''Oswald'' cartoons quickly became a hit series with the public. Oswald was even the first Creator/{{Disney}} cartoon character to receive his own tie-in merchandise (e.g., candy, stuffed animals, and pinback buttons)! Walt finally had a hit cartoon star, and it seemed like nothing could go wrong...

That, and this ordeal led him and Ub to create their own CaptainErsatz for Oswald when they started Walt Disney Productions: [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]] [[WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts Mouse]].

* The Ol' Swimmin' Hole: Originally a lost film, but a print has resurfaced on Website/YouTube in 2021.

* The Ol' Swimmin' Hole: Originally a lost film, but a print has resurfaced on YouTube in 2021.

* The Ol' Swimmin' Hole: No known print exists.

* BigRedButton: His remote. Unusually, it DOESN'T blow anything up - but it does dispense eletricity and allows his remote to be multi-purpose.

* MyGreatestSecondChance: For patching things up with Mickey, considering they didn't really get along in the first game untill the very end. It's also why Oswald trusts the Mad Doctor. [[spoiler: It's too bad the Mad Doctor abuses that trust for his own ends.]]

The original cartoon star of animation duo Creator/WaltDisney and his longtime friend and partner Creator/UbIwerks[[note]]if one doesn't count ''[[WesternAnimation/AliceComedies Julius the Cat]]'')[[/note]], ''Oswald the Lucky Rabbit'' was once an all-but-forgotten, but very important, character in the HistoryOfAnimation. Despite how obscure he remained for many years, his presence would wind up having a large impact on the future of the cartoon industry as a whole, laying the groundwork and paving the way for Walt Disney's [[WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts future]] [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon projects]] which would change animation forever.

The original cartoon star of animation duo Creator/WaltDisney and his longtime friend and partner Creator/UbIwerks [[note]] if one doesn't count ''[[WesternAnimation/AliceComedies Julius the Cat]]'')[[/note]], ''Oswald the Lucky Rabbit'' was once an all-but-forgotten, but very important, character in the HistoryOfAnimation. Despite how obscure he remained for many years, his presence would wind up having a large impact on the future of the cartoon industry as a whole, laying the groundwork and paving the way for Walt Disney's [[WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts future]] [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon projects]] which would change animation forever.