That was a clip from Steamboat Willie, the first Mickey Mouse movie with sound in 1928.
Since then, Mickey has morphed into a more gentle mouse and has remained a symbol of wholesome entertainment. But that Mickey is about to get a makeover. Disney will give its classic mouse a darker and leaner look, reminiscent of his mischievous Steamboat Willie days.
So why is Disney making that change and what impact could this have on the classic Mickey Mouse? Newsy takes a look at The Independent, IGN.com, SKYNews, The New York Times and others.
The Independent reports that Mickey’s makeover is intended to make him more appealing to a younger generation.
“Disney is worried that, although most children know who Mickey Mouse is, they do not identify with his adventures as they do with more contemporary animated heroes such as Russell, from the latest Pixar film Up, or Nemo the fatherless fish, or even Bart Simpson.”
The Mickey makeover also corresponds to the release of a new video game, “Epic Mickey.” IGN.com gives some hints on the new game.
“‘Epic Mickey’ has been confirmed. Recently, we have been reporting rumors of a crazy, dark Disney game from the mind of Warren Spector. But now Game Informer has made it official. The story involves Mickey Mouse using artist tools like brushes, paint thinner, and erasers, to fix his broken cartoon world.”
SKYNews posted this image of the new Mickey and reported...
“The hope is to return Mickey, most familiar to many as a potent corporate symbol of the Disney empire, to his roots as a playful figure of fun.”
The video blog The Philip DeFranco Show offers a unique perspective on this new Mickey.
“Modern makeover apparently means, look crazy, angry, and on meth. Personally I hope he stays like this, because a methed-out Mickey would be fun for me. 'Oh, I wish I had more meth. Oh, I hate my life. Oh, that feels good.'”
Finally, The New York Times warns of the danger in tweaking a classic.
“One false move and Disney could have New Coke on its hands.”
So, what do you think? Will a new, darker Mickey be disastrous for Disney?
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