Laughin' Place: Redefining Disney
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What do you think (And I'm not asking for spoilers) would be a good last film for Walt? Fantasia 2000 would be perfect, but it's to far gone by this date of death, regardless of it getting butterflied or not.
I have something similar to Fantasia 2000 planned, but not quite the same.
If the "Sequel to an early work" element is retained... a film about the Seven Dwarfs? It was considered in OTL.
That's the opposite direction of what I meant in "similar." Something like Fantasia, in the way of it being a heavily artistic and musical anthology film.
Disney is the only real new competitor on the scene--Universal's purchase of Atari isn't going to alter much, as it echoes the OTL buyout of Atari by Warner Communications (Atari just didn't have the funds by themselves to launch the VCS/2600).
This is also the genesis of the introduction of video games into the bubble of "traditional media," similar in standing to film. (For example, there will be video game critics ITTL, not reviewers who live in their parents' basements and work for IGN.)
There would be quite a few alters, actually. When Bushnell left Atari, Warner brought in Ray Kassar, who was responsible for the events of Atari between the buyout and the video game crash. With MCA buying Atari instead of Warner, there would be no Kassar in the CEO office, effectively changing the course of Atari from then on out. This could mean no Activision and no ET, which those two alone created a huge turning point for the market.
Another thing, with Atari and Universal becoming sister companies, how would this change the course of icons like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon? Their publisher, Universal Interactive, played a huge part in both the IPs and their creators (Naughty Dog and Insomniac, respectively). So Universal having Atari would basically butterfly Universal Interactive and its influence. What does this mean for the 90s video game market?
Well, Kassar wasn't tied to Warner, and therefore could be brought in even by Universal. And the same rifts between Atari and Universal that developed IOTL between them and Warner Bros. are likely to still appear.
Not going to spoil anything as far down the line as Crash/Naughty Dog and Spyro/Insomniac, at this point, so that question will have to wait.
Not going to spoil anything as far down the line as Crash/Naughty Dog and Spyro/Insomniac, at this point, so that question will have to wait.
Enter: The Mouse
Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, CA
August 19, 1976
"Breakdown sales are up the highest they've ever been. The EPCOT Center just brought in its millionth guest. Disneytropolis just hit two and a half million. The Snow Queen is at the top of the box office again, first time since May, and it's been almost six months since it came out."
Walt Disney stood before the crowd of employees from many, many branches of his company. There were Imagineers and animators and film makers, all packed in together in the same room.
"We have our next project debuting in '77: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Most of you have been hard at work on that, but it has always been something of a side project--today, as production on that begins winding down, I have an idea to share with you all."
Artists and writers shifted in their seats, eager to hear what the living legend before them had bouncing around in his head.
"In 1928, Ub Iwerks--God rest his soul--and I put our heads together to create the most iconic character of all time: Mickey Mouse. It's been fifty years since then, and thirty-eight since he last appeared on the big screen. So, in honor of his golden anniversary, we are going to make a movie focusing on the little guy this all started with. Or at least, that's what Don thinks we should do."
There was definite emotion shooting through the assembled crowd as Walt vacated the stage and Don Bluth took his spot. The head of animation went through the roughest of rough drafts that he and Walt had written together with the group, not quite acting it out but not just reading it either. When he finished, there was a rush of polite clapping, and a few whoops of excitement as they dispersed, off to finish up their projects and get started on the new one.
The Arcane Arcade, Los Angeles, CA
August 19, 1976
A pair of Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, sat around the inside of a dumpy arcade in the middle of Los Angeles. A few days ago, Atari had released the pair's first game, Breakout. They'd begun designing it long before they heard of Disney's Breakdown, and it had to be delayed for a bit when the company realized a bit late that Wozniak's ingenious design was too complex for their methods. So, a release on the thirteenth of May became the thirteenth of June, then July, and now, finally, August.
While a great game, Breakout entered the same category as a bunch of other Breakdown clones and hadn't been impactful in the slightest. Sure, it was making decent amounts of cash for the company, but with Disney beating them to the punch... all it'd accomplished for Atari was make them look even more like second place.
"Serves them right. They basically stole the game, anyway," grumbled Wozniak, watching as a teen dropped a few quarters into the slot for Breakdown. "What was the bonus we got?"
"Four thousand five hundred."
Silence hung between the two of them for a while, filled with the sounds of pinball machines and space guns. Finally, Jobs broke the silence. "Hey, Woz... I, um, I'm kinda... I'm broke, right now."
"You're broke?"
"Yeah, I'm broke. And, I was wondering... could I have a... a bigger share of the bonus? Just to help me get back on track."
"...Sure. How much do you need?"
"Umm... about four thousand dollars."
"Jesus, that's a bit steep! ...Yeah, go ahead, take it. I know Atari doesn't pay you as much as Hewlett-Packard pays me."
Jobs nodded, and the uncomfortable silence returned. The duo watched as a crowd began to gather around the kid playing Breakdown, who was on the edge of an all-time record on the machine.
"You know, I'm glad you told me you needed the cash, Steve, instead of just taking it."
"Yeah, I sure am too," Jobs laughed. "Hey, want to go play a round of Pong? Loser has to buy the other a drink."
"You're on, pal," shot back Wozniak, following Steve Jobs away from the crowd and into the bowels of the arcade.
August 19, 1976
"Breakdown sales are up the highest they've ever been. The EPCOT Center just brought in its millionth guest. Disneytropolis just hit two and a half million. The Snow Queen is at the top of the box office again, first time since May, and it's been almost six months since it came out."
Walt Disney stood before the crowd of employees from many, many branches of his company. There were Imagineers and animators and film makers, all packed in together in the same room.
"We have our next project debuting in '77: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Most of you have been hard at work on that, but it has always been something of a side project--today, as production on that begins winding down, I have an idea to share with you all."
Artists and writers shifted in their seats, eager to hear what the living legend before them had bouncing around in his head.
"In 1928, Ub Iwerks--God rest his soul--and I put our heads together to create the most iconic character of all time: Mickey Mouse. It's been fifty years since then, and thirty-eight since he last appeared on the big screen. So, in honor of his golden anniversary, we are going to make a movie focusing on the little guy this all started with. Or at least, that's what Don thinks we should do."
There was definite emotion shooting through the assembled crowd as Walt vacated the stage and Don Bluth took his spot. The head of animation went through the roughest of rough drafts that he and Walt had written together with the group, not quite acting it out but not just reading it either. When he finished, there was a rush of polite clapping, and a few whoops of excitement as they dispersed, off to finish up their projects and get started on the new one.
--------------------------------
The Arcane Arcade, Los Angeles, CA
August 19, 1976
A pair of Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, sat around the inside of a dumpy arcade in the middle of Los Angeles. A few days ago, Atari had released the pair's first game, Breakout. They'd begun designing it long before they heard of Disney's Breakdown, and it had to be delayed for a bit when the company realized a bit late that Wozniak's ingenious design was too complex for their methods. So, a release on the thirteenth of May became the thirteenth of June, then July, and now, finally, August.
While a great game, Breakout entered the same category as a bunch of other Breakdown clones and hadn't been impactful in the slightest. Sure, it was making decent amounts of cash for the company, but with Disney beating them to the punch... all it'd accomplished for Atari was make them look even more like second place.
"Serves them right. They basically stole the game, anyway," grumbled Wozniak, watching as a teen dropped a few quarters into the slot for Breakdown. "What was the bonus we got?"
"Four thousand five hundred."
Silence hung between the two of them for a while, filled with the sounds of pinball machines and space guns. Finally, Jobs broke the silence. "Hey, Woz... I, um, I'm kinda... I'm broke, right now."
"You're broke?"
"Yeah, I'm broke. And, I was wondering... could I have a... a bigger share of the bonus? Just to help me get back on track."
"...Sure. How much do you need?"
"Umm... about four thousand dollars."
"Jesus, that's a bit steep! ...Yeah, go ahead, take it. I know Atari doesn't pay you as much as Hewlett-Packard pays me."
Jobs nodded, and the uncomfortable silence returned. The duo watched as a crowd began to gather around the kid playing Breakdown, who was on the edge of an all-time record on the machine.
"You know, I'm glad you told me you needed the cash, Steve, instead of just taking it."
"Yeah, I sure am too," Jobs laughed. "Hey, want to go play a round of Pong? Loser has to buy the other a drink."
"You're on, pal," shot back Wozniak, following Steve Jobs away from the crowd and into the bowels of the arcade.
So, to recap, Atari's version of Breakdown has the OTL name, said version is too close to a lawsuit for comfort, and Disney might be making either a Mickey Mouse "mockumentary" of sorts or a MM video game for his 50th birthday. If either project doesn't happen, you may blame me for spoiling the surprise.
You're right on the first part... but not the second. The surprise was that Disney is making a Mickey Mouse movie for his 50th birthday, simple as that. Picture a traditional Mickey Mouse comic or cartoon as a feature-length film, and you're about there. That's basically the main focus of this post.
Also, the tech just isn't there at this point for a Mickey Mouse video game, or at least one that would be much fun.
I like how Steve Jobs admitted that he wanted to take a larger share of the bonus rather than keeping it a secret and lying to Wozniak.
I also think that it's a good idea to give Mickey Mouse a big movie of his own to match his legacy with the company. Maybe it could have a sequel where they include Oswald.
I also think that it's a good idea to give Mickey Mouse a big movie of his own to match his legacy with the company. Maybe it could have a sequel where they include Oswald.
That one conversation is going to have big ramifications, too...
Sequels aren't really Walt's style, so it's unlikely one will be made while he's still around. Plus, Disney doesn't own Oswald--yet.
A better relationship with Woz for a start. Hopefully, Jobs can be a person saved by butterflies in this timeline.
That doesn't mean that a film created to re-introduce Oswald and Ortensia to the public when they recover the rights wouldn't be a good idea.
That could be a film, or it could be a video game, or a comic book series, or a ride at the Disney Parks. I'll keep you all guessing on that part, but yes, Oswald will be reintroduced eventually.
An Oswald ride could be a good addition to any Toontown Disney is planning on building.
And you'd keep us guessing regarding what path that Jobs and Wozniak take in the future, right?
There is already a ride with Mickey and Oswald at TTL's Disneyland, but that's a map of the park in the modern day, so it's not necessarily the thing that reintroduced the character.
Jobs and Wozniak will both return to Apple, but I won't say what happens after that. So yeah, keep on guessing.
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