Oswald the Lucky Rabbit series in development

Jon Favreau is set to pen and produce an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit animation/live action hybrid series for Disney+, from Walt Disney Studios.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is very important to the Walt Disney Co. The cartoon, which bears close resemblance to Mickey Mouse, has a fractured history with the company and played a pivotal role in the creation of Disney’s most famous animated character. Oswald was created in 1927 by Walt Disney and featured in 27 animated shorts. But after Universal took control of the character in 1928, Disney created a new character as a replacement: Mickey Mouse.

Bringing Oswald home had been a priority for Disney CEO Bob Iger, and The Walt Disney Co. acquired the trademark in 2006. The character entered the public domain in 2023.

Mini Smiley on the Cartoonito YouTube channel

PGS Entertainment has teamed up with Cartoonito, Warner Bros. Discovery’s preschool brand, to bring Mini Smiley to YouTube. New content will be uploaded twice weekly, featuring song compilations and YouTube Shorts.

Co-founder Philippe Soutter praised Cartoonito’s expertise, calling it the perfect partner to expand Mini Smiley’s musical adventures globally. The 3D-animated series, designed to entertain kids with lively tunes, is now streaming on the Cartoonito YouTube channel.

Disney cancels Tianaseries

Disney has officially cancelled its Tiana animated series, a sequel to The Princess and the Frog, following its decision to halt original long-form content for streaming.

Originally set to feature Anika Noni Rose and helmed by Joyce Sherri, the series is the first casualty of Disney’s shift, along with an unannounced Disney+ feature.

However, a short-form special inspired by The Princess and the Frog is in early development, with Sherri and Steve Anderson leading the project.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 12th, 2025