Disney has announced that the “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” short will arrive on Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand on Friday, April 14, 2023, the same day the short will arrive on Disney+ in the United States and Canada.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is returning to the studio that bears his creator’s name—Walt Disney Animation Studios—in an all-new animated short, more than 94 years since Disney’s last Oswald cartoon. Created by Disney Animation’s hand-drawn animation team to help celebrate the start of Disney 100 Years of Wonder that marks 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company.
The “Oswald The Lucky Rabbit” short is directed by animator Eric Goldberg and produced by Dorothy McKim. And, in conjunction with the animated short, Disney launched a global Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Snapchat lens that allows users to channel Oswald using AR technology!
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is considered Walt’s first breakout animated star and is widely considered one of the first characters in animation history to feature a unique personality. Walt introduced Oswald to moviegoers in 1927 with the short Trolley Troubles. Twenty-six Oswald short films were created by Walt and his team, with the final Disney shorts starring the character releasing in 1928, the same year Walt lost creative control over his beloved rabbit. In 2006, Disney CEO Bob Iger made an unprecedented deal with NBCUniversal that allowed sportscaster Al Michaels to contract with NBC in exchange for the return of Oswald to his home. Since then, Oswald has appeared in video games, merchandise, Disney theme parks, and more!
Check out the new short below: