PLOT: Confined to a secluded rest home and trapped within his stroke-ridden body, a former Judge must stop an elderly psychopath who employs a child’s puppet to abuse the home’s residents with deadly consequences.

REVIEW: Jonathan Lithgow may just be the most versatile actor working today. He manages to be loveable goofballs and awful killers with an ease that inspires disbelief. He fully commits and has you believing whatever he wants. So it’s exciting to see him returning to the horror genre in The Rule of Jenny Pen, a film where he takes up the mantle of main villain. Because if there’s one thing that’s terrifying, it’s elderly abuse. But rather than focusing on that, and really getting under the viewers skin, this film is more interested in giving us creepy shots of a doll that go nowhere.

The Rule of Jenny Pen follows Judge Stefan Mortensen after he suffers a stroke in court. He’s shipped off to a rest home to recover. But while laid up, he notices that one of the other residents has been tormenting the others. He does so while carrying around a creepy hand puppet which he refers to as Jenny Pen. The immediate question becomes: is this supernatural? Is Crealy even in control of his own mind? Unfortunately, the doll is nothing more than a tool for creepiness and metaphor. This is simply a tale of elder abuse and the terrible things that human beings are capable of, which makes the doll element feel like a red herring.

There’s a great parallel between the pompous judge that Stefan was in life, with the feeble man who can’t even rely on his own mind in the nursing facility. Stefan has clearly been able to talk his way out of and around any event that he sees fit. But now, no one believes him, and he can hardly even trust his own faculties. The film certainly plays off of our fears about being placed into a retirement home and having all sense of free will taken away. Is that truly living? However, this is only focused on in a superficial way, with more time spent making the doll seem important. Thankfully, Geoffrey Rush is phenomenal in the role and give nuance to otherwise simple moments.

John Lithgow‘s performance as Dave Crealy is wonderfully maniacal. He’s managed to play some all time great villains and this may just be the most evil of them all. There are no redeemable qualities in Crealy and he truly evokes an intense desire to see him get his comeuppance. I can’t remember the last time I felt hatred for a character, and he continued to do despicable acts after despicable acts. From his crooked, yellow teeth to his hunched over posture, Lithgow really loses himself in the role. It made me wonder why they felt that he needed a creepy doll on his hand to further hammer home the point of his lunacy. It could have worked if they then didn’t go for absurdist imagery with it, undercutting the personality aspect.

While I really enjoyed the tormenting angle, as it really plays off of universal fears, the more abstract horror doesn’t really work here. There’s some montage that felt like it was added late in the process, just meant to give us some creepy imagery. After all this buildup with Crealy and the awful things he’s done to the old folks in this place, the story goes out with a bit of a whimper. The audience is robbed of a truly satisfying payoff and instead it simply feels like a joke without its punchline. I think this can sometimes happen with horror when its looked down upon.

While The Rule of Jenny Pen boasts some great performances from both Lithgow and Rush, it tries to do too much. Rather than focusing on the horrors of elderly abuse and this madman, there’s too much mystery around this stupid doll. The horror feels a bit plain and uninspired, relying more on silly tropes like a creepy doll and authority not listening to reason. I really enjoyed several elements of Jenny Pen and think there’s an awesome movie within the story, it’s just presented in a way that make it feel skippable.

THE RULE OF JENNY PEN IS IN THEATERS ON MARCH 7TH AND STREAMING ON SHUDDER ON MARCH 20TH, 2025.

Michelle Monaghan and Adam Scott have joined Robert De Niro in the serial killer thriller The Whisper Man, coming from Netflix and AGBO

Last month, it was announced that Robert De Niro will be following up the Netflix series Zero Day with another Netflix project, as he has signed on to star in the serial killer crime thriller The Whisper Man for AGBO and the streaming service. Now, Deadline has revealed that De Niro is being joined in the cast by The White Lotus star Michelle Monaghan and Severance star Adam Scott.

Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Whisper Man will be directed by James Ashcroft. Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer are writing the script. The story centers on a widower crime writer who, after his 8-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as “The Whisper Man.”

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Michael Disco are producing the film for AGBO. The company’s Kassee Whiting serves as an executive producer alongside Marcus Viscidi. Production is expected to take place on the East Coast sometime this spring.

When the project was first announced, Russo-Otstot, AGBO’s chief creative officer, provided the following statement: “AGBO is excited to be embarking on our 6th film with our incredible partners at Netflix. The Whisper Man is a gripping thriller but at its core is a poignant and complex story of father and sons. We are grateful to have one of the finest actors of his generation, Robert De Niro, anchoring that story and with the remarkable James Ashcroft directing.” Other collaborations between Netflix and AGBO include The Gray Man, The Electric State, and the Extraction films (plus the recently announced Extraction TV series spin-off called Mercenary).

Ashcroft has previously directed the 2021 horror thriller Coming Home in the Dark and the newly released John Lithgow / Geoffrey Rush horror film The Rule of Jenny Pen.

Does The Whisper Man sound interesting to you? What do you think of Michelle Monaghan and Adam Scott joining Robert De Niro in the cast of this serial killer thriller? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Bong Joon Ho’s latest film, Mickey 17, earned $2.5M during Thursday preview screenings on its way to the top of the box office.

After a brief delay, Bong Joon Ho’s latest sci-fi epic, Mickey 17, is finally playing in theaters. The Live, Die, Repeat-like feature is off to a solid start with $2.5M in Thursday preview screenings. Bong Joon Ho is one of South Korea’s premiere filmmakers, having released films like Snowpiercer, The Host, Okja, and the Academy Award-winning psychological drama Parasite. His latest exploration of sci-fi themes stars Robert Pattinson as an “expendable” who goes on a dangerous mission to colonize an ice planet. As Mickey fails one mission attempt after the other, new versions of him try to complete the mission, but when the process goes awry, Mickey finds himself trapped in a deadly paradox. Mickey 17 has a good chance of reaching the top of the box office this weekend, but what’s the breakdown?

Analysts expect Mickey 17 to bank $17M to $20M domestically and $20M to $25M internationally. The combined totals could put Mickey 17 at $40M to $45M for its opening weekend. I hope positive word about the movie spreads because Mickey 17 cost $118M to produce, so it will need $275M to $300M to make a decent amount above its production dollars.

The official synopsis for Mickey 17 reads: “From the Academy Award-winning writer/director of “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho, comes his next groundbreaking cinematic experience, “Mickey 17.” The unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living.” In addition to Pattinson as the various Mickeys, the film also stars Steve Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, and Naomi Ackie. The film is based on the novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, with Bong Joon-ho writing the script and directing.

JoBlo’s Editor-in-Chief, Chris Bumbray, reviewed Mickey 17 for the site, saying it’s “uneven” but “undeniably entertaining.” In his review, Chris praises the film’s strong visuals, with Darius Khondji’s cinematography especially impressive if you see this on an IMAX screen. “Indeed, Mickey 17 is all over the place in terms of quality,” Chris said. “It’s one of the few recent films where I went back and forth between thinking it was a disaster and a masterpiece over and over again – sometimes in the same scene, depending on who was being showcased.”

Outlets expect Mickey 17 to take the top spot at the box office this weekend, beating Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World after several weeks at the box office’s apex.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

From plot theories, casting, and more, we look at everything about Taylor Sheridan’s next prequel series.

What Do We Know About the upcoming Yellowstone prequel series 1944? More than you may think. The Paramount+ series is slated to continue the origin story of the Dutton family after the conclusion of 1923. From plot, casting news, and more, let’s dive in and look at what is coming up in the new addition to the Yellowstone franchise.

What is 1944 about?

While there is no official plot description for the still-in-development series, 1944 places the action roughly two decades after 1923, which was, in turn, set forty years after 1883. The original title of the Harrison Ford/Helen Mirren-led series was 1932, and the shift to ten years earlier could have been to create room for the eventual 1940s set continuation. The action shifting right in the middle of World War II could offer a glimpse of where characters featured in 1923 would end up at the next pivotal historical moment for the United States.

Will Spencer and Alex Dutton be the main characters?

In the second season of 1923, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) and Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) were separated and reunited in Montana. With the two-decade time jump, 1944 could center on the star-crossed lovers enjoying their golden years while their children and possibly grandchildren begin the golden era of the Dutton ranch near Yellowstone National Park.

Will John Dutton be a character?

Kevin Costner’s John Dutton III was born in April 1959, fifteen years after the title year in the new prequel series. Both 1883 and 1923 kept the action pretty confined to the years in their titles, but the eventual birth of the Yellowstone patriarch could be part of 1944 or a follow-up series about John’s childhood, something teased in flashbacks during the original run of Yellowstone.

How many seasons will it run?

While 1883 lasted a single season and 1923 spanned two, 1944 could be a one-and-done arc or a multi-season arc. Taylor Sheridan has liked to keep the action focused in the prequels so far, so 1944 could last for two seasons before transitioning to a 1960s set series chronicling the childhood of John Dutton III.

Who will star in the series?

Nothing has been announced regarding the characters or cast of 1944 since the revelations in store for the second season of 1923 will likely factor into the next series’s theme. I would venture to guess that a new cast could be brought in to play any characters from 1923 as older adults, but we will wait and see.

What else do we know?

It seems likely that Taylor Sheridan will script all episodes of 1944 as he did in 1883 and 1923. 1923 was the most expensive Sheridan-created series to date, and if 1944 incorporates World War II sequences, the new prequel could eclipse that record. Until the finale of 1923 airs, we will be theorizing and guessing what will come next, but stay tuned for more as it develops.

When will we see it?

While 1923 was initially known as 1932 until the conclusion of 1883, and two years elapsed between seasons of the Roaring Twenties-set prequel, we have a ways to go before 1944 becomes a sure thing. Taylor Sheridan likes to work efficiently, but it seems unlikely that the series will begin production until late 2025, which puts an on-screen premiere likely for late 2026.

Stay tuned to JoBlo.com as we learn more about 1944 and your favorite shows. What do you expect to see in the upcoming Yellowstone prequel? Let us know in the comments, click like, and subscribe to follow all our latest original videos.

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is getting the deluxe edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray treatment, with Blu-ray releases of other sequels

Last year, Synapse Films and Red Shirt Home Video teamed up to bring us a deluxe edition Blu-ray and 4K UHD release of the 1986 rock ‘n roll horror film Trick or Treat, one of my all-time favorite movies. Now, they’re working on several follow-up projects, including a 4K UHD and Blu-ray release of Fright Night Part 2 – and a deluxe edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray release of Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II! Red Shirt’s Michael Felsher announced the Prom Night II project on social media, where he also revealed that Blu-ray releases of Prom Night III: The Last Kiss and Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil are in the works. Whether or not the other sequels get 4K upgrades will depend on what materials are available for them. Synapse does have the rights required to bring the original Prom Night to 4K UHD as well, but that “depends on access to (and quality of) the elements.”

Felsher said, “That’s right, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II, coming to UHD and Blu-ray from Red Shirt Home Video, after all this time. This one has been a huge title for a lot of people, this is one everyone has wanted for a very long time, including myself. It’s my favorite of the Prom Night movies and it is one that has been sorely underrepresented on the home video market for a very long time. The last time it was available, that anyone really noticed, was on MGM’s DVD and then it did get a couple of multi-pack releases through another company after that, but it has been off the market since then, and we have now closed the deal to release Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II, and this one will be getting the Trick or Treat treatment. … I’m gonna do a full ‘making of’ piece. If I did it for Trick or Treat, you can imagine that I’m gonna want to do everything I can possibly do for Hello Mary Lou, because this is a really, really cool movie.” Red Shirt will be reaching out to everyone they can think of to interview about the film, and an interview with cast member Michael Ironside is already set up. They’re also hoping to dig up a cut of the movie that was put together before the decision to release it as a Prom Night sequel, but might not be able to.

Although a DVD release of Prom Night III: The Last Kiss from a different company was a censored cut, Red Shirt and Synapse will not be making that mistake when they bring the film to Blu-ray. Felsher has already spoken to one of the film’s two directors and confirmed his involvement with this release. A lot of the same people worked on all four of the initial Prom Night films, so Felsher will be talking to them about each of the sequels.

It’s not clear if there’s going to be a Prom Night box set from Synapse when all is said and done, especially since Felsher doesn’t want to hold up the release of Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II just to wait for a group box set. This series might be released one-by-one over time.

Also in the works at Synapse Films and Red Shirt Home Video are a 4K and Blu-ray release of the 1986 film Hunter’s Blood, a 4K and Blu-ray release of 976-Evil II, and a Blu-ray of the 1983 Marilyn Chambers sci-fi comedy Angel of H.E.A.T.

Are you glad to hear that Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is getting a deluxe edition 4K and Blu-ray release? What do you think of Synapse Films and Red Shirt Home Video working on new releases of Prom Night III: The Last Kiss and Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The MonsterVerse animated series Skull Island is getting a comic book series follow-up called Return to Skull Island

Back in 2023, Legendary Entertainment and the Netflix streaming service teamed up to bring us “an epic chapter in Legendary’s MonsterVerse franchise” in the form of a Kong animated series called Skull Island. Now, Variety has revealed that Legendary is working with Titan Comics on a comic book follow-up to Skull Island, with the comic book series sporting the fitting title of Return to Skull Island.

Set in the world of Legendary’s Skull Island: The Animated Series, currently streaming on Netflix, Return to Skull Island follows a group of survivors stranded on the perilous South Pacific island. As they uncover its dark secrets, they face life-threatening challenges and fight for survival in a land where every creature is a threat — including King Kong himself. The series is bring written by Simon Furman, with Christopher Jones providing the artwork.

Titan Comics editor Louis Yamani provided the following statement: “Skull Island’s shadows hide untold stories, fierce battles, and creatures unlike anything seen before. Marrying brilliant illustrations and epic storytelling, we see a new side to Kong and his kingdom. We can’t wait to share more this June.” Robert Napton, SVP and publisher at Legendary Comics, added: “Partnering with Titan Comics on Return to Skull Island allows us to expand the MonsterVerse in exciting new ways. Bringing Skull Island from TV to comics lets us dive deeper into its mysteries, offering fans thrilling new adventures in Kong’s world.“

The first issue of Return to Skull Island will be reaching store shelves on June 4th and features a cover by artist Inhyuk Lee. You can check out a “not final” version of the cover at the bottom of this article.

Return to Skull Island expands a franchise that includes, in addition to the Skull Island animated series, the films Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla (2014), Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and the live-action TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Legendary was kind enough to provide a chart that shows where Return to Skull Island fits into the timeline.

Another MonsterVerse movie is currently in the works, with Grant Sputore directing from a screenplay by Dave Callaham and a cast that includes Kaitlyn Dever, Jack O’Connell, Delroy Lindo, Dan Stevens, and Matthew Modine.

Will you be collecting the Return to Skull Island comic book series? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Ozark actress Janet McTeer and Paapa Essiedu are poised to join HBO’s Harry Potter TV series as McGonagall and Snape, respectively.

HBO‘s upcoming Harry Potter series is making magic this Friday with a casting update for two of the franchise’s most beloved instructors. According to Deadline, Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress Janet McTeer (Koas, Ozark, The Menu) is negotiating with the network to play Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Professor of Transfiguration originally played by Maggie Smith in WB’s Harry Potter film franchise. Meanwhile, Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You, Men, Black Mirror) is finalizing his deal to play Professor Severus Snape, the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher played by Alan Rickman in the films. After deals come to pass, they’ll join John Lithgow, who plays Professor Albus Dumbledore in the new series.

HBO appears to be under a “silence spell” when asked to comment about potential castings. “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” the network said. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”

HBO’s Harry Potter TV series is as ambitious as it gets, with plans to run the show for over a decade. The project hails from writer/showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director/executive producer Mark Mylod. The show plans to explore each novel in explicit detail for a more “faithful adaptation” of the source material written by J.K. Rowling. Fans of WB’s Harry Potter film series adore the series. However, the film franchise’s limited run time streamlines the stories, leaving fan-favorite plot points and moments on the cutting room floor. The thought is that HBO’s series allows time to explore all aspects of the epic story, leaving no stone unturned.

Previously, Gardiner said the Harry Potter TV series would adhere to the “canonical” ages of characters, with Snape being 31.

“Well, it came as a total surprise to me,” Lithgow said about landing the role of Albus Dumbledore. “I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid. But I’m very excited,” he added. “Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That’s why it’s been such a hard decision. I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes.”

As for Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, upwards of 32, 000 kids have auditioned for the roles, and the selection process is ongoing.

What do you think about Janet McTeer and Paapa Essiedu nearing deals to join HBO’s Harry Potter TV series? Let us know in the comments section below.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

Directed by Barbarian’s Zach Cregger, a new Resident Evil movie will be released by Sony Pictures in 2026, just months after Cregger’s Weapons

In 2023, New Line Cinema went all-in on a partnership with Barbarian (watch it HERE) writer/director Zach Cregger and Barbarian’s producers at BoulderLight Pictures. New Line came out the winner in a bidding war over Weapons, which they’re planning to give a theatrical release date on January 16, 2026, and they’re also paying Cregger a sum in the eight figure range to make the movie. In addition to working with them on Weapons, New Line signed a first look deal with BoulderLight Pictures, tasking the company with developing high concept genre projects for them, and they gave a greenlight to the sci-fi thriller Companion, which was produced by BoulderLight and Cregger and released at the end of January. But while Cregger is collaborating with New Line Cinema, he’s also making a Resident Evil movie for Constantin Film – and while New Line’s parent company Warner Bros. participated in a bidding war over the chance to distribute the film, Sony Pictures, the company that released all of the previous Resident Evil movies, came out the winner of that bidding war. Deadline reports that Sony will be releasing Cregger’s Resident Evil movie on September 18, 2026.

So we’ll get to see two new Zach Cregger movies in 2026, just eight months apart.

Cregger will be directing the Resident Evil movie, and while details on the screenplay he has written with Shay Hatten (Army of the Dead) are being kept under wraps, the story apparently harkens back to the original Capcom game’s horror roots.

Constantin Film is producing and co-financing the film. Constantin’s Robert Kulzer, Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee and Miri Yoon, and PlayStation Productions are also producing. Nicole Brown will be overseeing the project for Sony’s Columbia Pictures.

Cregger provided the following statement: “I’ve been a rabid fan of these games for decades and to be able to bring this amazing title to life is a true honor.” Kulzer added, “The world of Resident Evil experienced through Zach’s vision is an irresistible feat.” And Sanford Panitch, President of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, had this to say: “Zach is one of the most talented, exciting new directors to come on the scene in many years. His brilliant approach in restarting and refreshing this legendary Sony franchise instantly makes this one of our most important releases in 2026.“

Paul W.S. Anderson built a franchise of six Resident Evil movies, running from Resident Evil in 2002 to Resident Evil: The Final Chapter in 2017. In 2021, the franchise was rebooted with director Johannes Roberts’ Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. A while back, we heard that a follow-up to Welcome to Raccoon City was in the works, as Raccoon HG Film Productions, the company that was behind that film, was said to be gearing up to go into production on a project called Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (based on the 2002 video game Resident Evil Zero) in Greater Sudbury, a city in Ontario, Canada. That project didn’t make it into production, though.

What do you think of Zach Cregger making a Resident Evil movie? Are you looking forward to checking it out in 2026? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The director of the now-scrapped nine-hour Netflix documentary on Prince is lashing out against the cancellation.

A documentary on Prince would be a bonafide hit, there’s zero doubt about that. But his estate won’t even let it see the light, as they took an axe to the project just last month after reviewing it. Now, its director, Ezra Edelman, has a bleak outlook as to where it is metaphorically ending up.

As Edelman recently put it, “The image I’ve had in my head is the last shot of Raiders of the Lost Ark: of just a huge warehouse somewhere in Netflix, a crate just, like, put away.” The agreement between Edleman & Netflix and Prince’s estate over the documentary was that they would have full creative control but that the doc would still be screened for the Prince estate ahead of its release to ensure there was full accuracy.

This is pretty much where the nine-hour Prince documentary fell apart. As Edelman continued, “It’s a joke. The estate had — here’s the one thing they were allowed to do: Check the film for factual inaccuracies. Guess what? They came back with a 17-page document full of editorial issues — not factual issues. You think I have any interest in putting out a film that is factually inaccurate?…The lawyer who runs the estate essentially said he believed that this would do generational harm to Prince. In essence, that the portrayal of Prince in this film — what people learn about him — would deter younger viewers and fans, potentially, from loving Prince. They would be turned off.”

While Edelman’s documentary is scrapped, it has been announced that the estate of Prince will be moving forward with their own doc, which will no doubt have a clear skew in favor of The Purple One. Edelman pointed this to being a prime example of the sort of move that Prince himself wouldn’t tolerate, citing his battles with Warner Bros. That we won’t be seeing a more objective take on Prince is a shame. That we probably will never see the notes his estate gave Edelman and Netflix is also too bad, so we can only assume one was, “Not enough ping pong.”

Elsewhere on the Prince movie front, Ryan Coogler has a jukebox musical planned although there has been little news in quite some time.

What do you make of the Prince documentary getting canned? Are you hopeful for the new one from his estate?

Jon Favreau’s latest project involves the all-but-forgotten Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in a new Disney+ TV series.

Disney’s history stands to repeat itself as the mouse-eared studio reaches deep into the vault for Jon Favreau’s latest project. After delivering hits like The Mandalorian, The Jungle Book, and one of Disney’s most lucrative franchises, The Lion King, Jon Favreau will write and produce a TV series featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for Disney+.

The live-action/animated hybrid stars Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, an all-but-forgotten character who helped Mickey Mouse rise to fame. Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks created Oswald in 1927 and starred in 27 animated shorts. However, when Universal gained control of the character in 1928, Disney pivoted to Mickey Mouse, and the rest is history.

Oswald first appeared in the short film Trolley Trouble on September 5, 1927. Interestingly, Oswald can disassemble and reshape his body at will, leading to wacky scenarios and sticky situations. Unlike the affable Mickey Mouse, Oswald is a brash, feisty, and overconfident character who often gets mixed up in trouble. Thankfully, Oswald is unnaturally lucky, allowing him to escape impossible odds and turn dangerous situations into a hilarious opportunity for victory and unpredictable outcomes.

Once Oswald migrated to Universal Studios, Mickey Mouse ate his lunch and became the mascot of Walt Disney Studios and its theme parks. However, Mickey and Oswald don’t exchange bad blood. The duo joined forces in 2010 for the Epic Mickey video game developed by Junction Point Studios and published by Disney Interactive Studios. The game finds Mickey and Oswald combining efforts to fix a world Mickey accidentally ruins. A remake of the game, developed by Purple Lamp, titled Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, was released in 2024 to moderate success.

Jon Favreau’s Oswald the Lucky Rabbit TV series is arguably the most significant project involving the character in a long time. If you visit Disney’s theme parks, you can sometimes catch Oswald on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure Park.

While fans wait for more details on Oswald’s new show, Jon Favreau is directing and producing The Mandalorian and Grogu for Lucasfilm, set for a May 2026 release in theaters.

Are you and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit fan? Are you excited about Oswald coming back to Disney in a relatively big way? Let us know in the comments section below.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.