A previously unknown pitch for an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit animated series with Universal developed between 1991-1992 was recently put on auction. Only images of Oswald were provided but he was redesigned and it was said to have been similar in approach to Animaniacs.Of course it never got made, and Universal never did anything with Oswald again (not even put him in the 90s Woody Woodpecker show) outside Japanese merch until he was shipped off to Disney. https://bid.vegalleries.com/An-Oswald-the-Lucky-Rabbit-Show-Concept-Collection_i59501781
Friendly reminder that Oswald has been in the public domain since the 1950s because the copyright was never renewed. And then in the 2000s Disney paid MILLIONS to acquire the rights. (Inb4 Disney didn't pay anything).There's also a thing where a Disney archivist pointed this out to Disney he ended up getting fired.
And that is what they provided
>>152807256I really want to buy this, but after my experience with previous cartoon bidding I know some smuck is gonna spend a ton on this when the auction actually starts
this is pretty interesting considering it predates animaniacs, bonkers, and the other cartoons that tried aping roger rabbit
>>152807327They had the trademark anyway that does not expire, so it gives some control over himRegardless, they pretty much got him in as a freebie. They really traded the Michaels rights for sports coverage, this was just the extra part given in for free yet it is more exciting to talk about then just some long elapsed live sports rights
>>152807277Easily the best one.
>>152807904They paid $12 million for Oswald. Even so "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit" wouldn't even be needed since they can just call him Oswald the Rabbit.
>>152807327>Billion dollar company can buy a public domain property so it's only usable by them and no one else anymoregenuinely how is this legal
Would you?
>>152810108call up the Burroughs estate and ask them
>>152807327Any time this gets brought up, people forget (or maybe don't know) that Disney got the trademark rights as well which were far more valuable to them than the legally dubious copyrights. The trademarks can be renewed in perpetuity and gives them the exclusive rights to make merch of him. Go look up Oswald on the trademark registry and you can see that Disney has an Oswald trademark for just about everything. They've made back those millions tenfold with Oswald merch
>>152809390>They paid $12 million for Oswald.No??? They gave 12 million and Michaels being let out of his 8 year, 4 million a year contract for four Ryder Cups tournament Friday rights at a heavy discount, and a sports highlights package including for the next four Olympics among other sports. Oswald's trademark and dubious copyright was thrown in basically for free. They openly said it was worthless in 2006.
convince disney to buy lil eightball from universal
>>152807263>giving him buck teethabsolutely disgusting
More Ozzy
>>152807327>There's also a thing where a Disney archivist pointed this out to Disney he ended up getting fired.Sauce, please
>>152811080Without hesitation.
>>152807256ngl he kinda looks like the italians got a handle on him
>>152807263bnuuy
>>152807256>He's not just for kids anymoremade me think it's gonna be tryhard humor
