Oswald The Lucky Rabbit Regains His Cartoon Star Status

We’ve already shown you the video, but Disney has now put out the press release to go along with it.

October 12, 2010 – Disney Interactive Studios unveiled this weekend at New York Comic-Con a new video showcasing the past life and upcoming Disney Epic Mickey prominent role of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney’s beloved cartoon character. Having once starred in 26 cartoons, Oswald is regarded as the most popular silent cartoon character of the 1920’s. The upcoming Disney Epic Mickey video game scheduled for release on November 30th in North America will mark Oswald’s first appearance in a new Disney story since 1928.

“I am absolutely honored to be involved in restoring Oswald to the cartoon status that he once held,” said Warren Spector, general manager and creative director, Disney Interactive Studios’ Junction Point. “Having the opportunity to present Oswald the Lucky Rabbit onscreen for The Walt Disney Company is a dream job for a lifelong animation fan like myself.”

Disney eventually lost the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit due to a clause in a contract with cartoon distributor, Universal. In February 2006, The Walt Disney Corporation was able to regain rights to Oswald, bringing him back to the home of his creator.

The new video released by Disney Interactive Studios pays tribute to Oswald and demonstrates how Disney Epic Mickey will help to restore him to the fame he once enjoyed. To view the video, please visit www.Disney.com.

Disney Epic Mickey is an action-adventure platforming game for the Wii console that sends Mickey Mouse on an epic journey of creativity and discovery. As Mickey, the player is propelled into Wasteland, an alternate world made up of Disney’s long forgotten characters and attractions, and is given the power to wield paint and paint thinner to dynamically change the world while determining Mickey’s path to becoming an epic hero.

Through the use of this unique paint and paint thinner, the key components of animation and Mickey’s tools for impacting his world, players will have the ability to shape how the story unfolds as they discover the concept of “Playstyle Matters” – an innovative style of gameplay created by Disney Interactive Studios’ Junction Point, led by industry luminary Warren Spector, where players creatively tackle different challenges in the world to explore all the possibilities and storylines – but with consequences for their chosen actions.

Disney Epic Mickey will be available exclusively for the Wii™ console.

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