Iger Reimagining Mickey Mouse?

[tirian]

YAY!Exactly what I think Disney fans have wanted....I know I have. That's very exciting news.

That's only officially for theater releases; anything could happen on TV.

Even though I want to see new animated shorts in front of Disney movies, I also want to know what idiot is trying to convince the Company they need to make new MM cartoons to make him popular again. He's already popular; just start airing the classic shorts on TV again to bring him back into the spotlight. Why spend money when you don't need to? Very few of the classic Disney cartoons are outdated; most of them just seem to take place in a 'Toon-specific world.

Relaunched/re-imagined franchises rarely work. Scooby-Doo, Looney Toons, and Batman Beyond have proven that.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Wait a Zippidy Who-What Moment...Doesn't anyone even remember The first appearance of CGI Mickey at the 2003 Oscars?
http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/030323/225526__mickeygarner_l.jpg

Then Came Philharmagic which was more focused on Donald
http://www.cgw.com/Media/PublicationsArticle/p15a.jpg

And Twice Upon a Christmas
http://images.digitalmedianet.com/2004/Week_50/gjoc8dmq/story/3dmickey.jpg

The Disneyworld HCOE Ad Where the CGI Mickey looks really strange..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srmV9DCaRTU

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...
http://www.dcmedianet.com/showcontent/DC/programming/mickeymousec/mickeymousec_i/lead.jpg
And to be honest...This show looked really strange since Mickey never looked straight at you but more to the the left or right...But, It looks like they may have fixed it..

And Finnally let us not forget the best one out of the CGI mickey line..
King Mickey of Kingdom Hearts 1&2..
http://gennady619.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/20060426-screen-kingdomhearts21.jpg

It's not the CGI I worry about,it's his moral image.

 

[tdonald]

It's not the CGI I worry about,it's his moral image.

Same here.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

He actually looks REALLY good in CGI.Those HCOE commercials are great.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

Wouldn't be the first time. Walt was constantly re imagining Mickey for changing times. Wasn't the whole reason they created Donald Duck because Mickey had gotten too popular to continue his wild and michivious antics he was known for in the early years? On top of which, Was I the only one that had those old bedsheets from the 80s with Mickey done up in a Miami Vice style look? :ROFLOL:
As long as they don't put him in Hip Hop clothing, I think I'll be okay with it
and in that list of CGI Mikceys, you forgot Mickey Mouse Clubhouse which I think has to be the best CGI Mickey they've ever done.

Relaunched/re-imagined franchises rarely work. Scooby-Doo, Looney Toons, and Batman Beyond have proven that.

BATMAN BEYOND WAS AWESOME!!! Though I agree on your point about the classic cartoons. I think the later season of House of Mouse had the right idea of mixing old AND new cartoons in one block.

Ah yes, coming soon: "Pimp Mickey" with his friends gangsta Goofy, Duggie Donald, and $ex slave Minnie. Toon Town will be renamed "Toon Hood" which is a cartooney ghetto. Join Mickey as he and his friends rule the drug and prostitute industry.

Actually, I always had an image in mind of "Pimp Mickey" selling the Princess'. "I got the ladies if you got the money!"

Seriously though, if they want to make Mickey hip, they need to do it the right way. They should have Mickey star in an Animaniacs-type show that appeals to kids and adults.

I think they did. It was called "House of Mouse." But I see your point. They could definetly do more.

 

[tirian]

On top of which, Was I the only one that had those old bedsheets from the 80s with Mickey done up in a Miami Vice style look? :ROFLOL:

I still have them. (But I don't use them.) :wave:

BATMAN BEYOND WAS AWESOME!!!

But it still wasn't popular. Audiences are very particular about their cartoon characters. (Scrappy Doo, anyone?)

 

[Dragonrider1227]

OH GOD! SCRAPPY DOO! *twitches* I think comparing Batman Beyond to Scrappy Doo is just unfair :lol: Wasn't BB on for at least 3 seasons with the intention of more until they started Justice League?

 

[clarksfan95]

I think a lot of people are really over-reacting to the redesign of Mickey. He's been altered many times through history and his characterization has been changed as well.

Just in case people have forgotten:

http://i1.iofferphoto.com/img/1120201200/_i/7300600/1.jpg

It'll be okay...let's chill out a bit. They will not alter him so much that he isn't his regular character. Making him more up to date is something that happens and makes him more appealing to younger audiences....if you don't appeal to these audiences then he will eventually be forgotten and no one will care. This is a positive for Mickey and will hopefully revitalize his career in the cartoons - he's been backshelved for so long that it's time for him to reclaim his place at Disney.

As a side note...i read the part about James Baxter doing the animation for Enchanted and that is true as was that he worked on Roger Rabbit, but his involvement with that film was very small. He wasn't even 20 when he worked on Roger Rabbit and he did small pieces of it and wasn't actually a lead animator on any part of the film. His first supervising animated character was Belle...which is also the weakest character that he's ever animated. He got sick during production and other animators had to take charge....he was 21 at this point in his career. You can check out animationpodcast.com for an interview that was done with him where he actually talks about these parts of his career. I do find it funny that everyone thinks Disney did that animation...doesn't anyone watch the credits at the end of the film anymore?

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Like we said before,it's not the change of his design and such is his morals and personality that we worry about.


Change is good,just don't fix it if it's not broken.

 

[SpectroMan]

I think we Iger and others at WDC, describe how the company needs to become more relevant, it is in the idea that these characters need to be doing things that happen today.

In the 30s, Mickey was seen using a plane and boats. In the 50s, you saw him driving a car, etc. That's all we need. He needs to visit a mall. He needs to use a cell phone. He needs to go water skiing or hiking or surfing.

Mickey does not need to become more relevant; his setting needs to become more relevant. That is the idea. A few people have already brought up the Goofy cartoon before National Treasure 2. That is what is meant when Iger says, Mickey needs to become more relevant.