He has come a long way from “Steamboat Willie” in 1928 to “Fantasia” in 1940. From the Mickey Mouse Club in 1955 to the “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” today. And now just short of the big cheese’s 85th birthday in November, Mickey will appear in a series of cartoon shorts set to debut this summer on the Disney Channel.
The series will feature the comic antics of the world’s most beloved mouse with contemporary touches. The 19 animated shorts will be in 2D animation and will pay homage to the artistry of Mickey’s creator Walt Disney and his team of animators in the late 1920’s and 1930’s. Unlike his previous cartoon shorts which ran on average anywhere between five to seven minutes long, the new series is expected to run a bit shorter at three to four minutes in length.
Mickey will appear in modern settings, such as riding a motorized scooter through Paris. His exploits are also expected to find Mickey traveling to other cosmopolitan locations such as New York, Santa Monica, Tokyo, the Swiss Alps, Beijing and Venice where he will run into other Disney characters like long-time gal pal Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Pluto and Goofy.
The new project marks Mickey’s return to the animated short genre for the first time since the 1950’s. His look harkens back to his youth and will showcase his long-beloved charm and good heartedness that has endeared Mickey to generations of fans. His appearance will take on a “rubber-hose” cartoon style that will allow for a more exaggerated animation experience. The original 19 storylines will find Mickey dealing with a silly situation, a quick complication and an escalation of physical and visual gags before a heart-warming conclusion that will leave fans wanting more of the mouse.
Some of the shorts included in the premiere run include: “Croissant de Triomphe” where Mickey, riding his scooter, must deliver croissants to Minnie’s café in Paris while battling street traffic, a group of nuns, and a merry-go-round; “Yodelberg” where Mickey attempts to visit Minnie atop her mountaintop chalet but is presented with a series of challenges including the threat of an avalanche; and “No Service” where Mickey and Donald try to buy lunch at a beachside snack shack but are turned away because of the classic “no shirt, no shoes, no service” policy. Comedy ensues because Mickey doesn’t wear a shirt and the always pants-less Donald doesn’t wear shoes. (Gee I wonder if Donald would have been served if he wore shoes but still went pants-free to the snack shop?)
Emmy Award-winning artist and director Paul Rudish is being tapped to serve as executive producer and director for the new Walt Disney Television animation project. Rudish is perhaps best known for his work on “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “The Powerpuff Girls” both for the Cartoon Network.
The new animated shorts are expected to air on the Disney Channel, Disney.com and the Watch Disney Channel mobile app starting June 28th.
Check out a preview of “Croissant de Triomphe” at http://video.disney.com/watch/croissant-de-triomphe-4d7b3aae690a98650d77... and look for special cameo appearances by Cinderella and Prince Charming.
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