Fans got a first look at the titular character for an upcoming Disney+ series, and the character in question will likely be the House of Mouse's next Grogu. Grogu instantly became a fan-favorite when he debuted in the premiere episode of The Mandalorian. Since his introduction, Grogu has been a cornerstone for Disney's marketing, with the company relying on him to sell a lot of merchandise.
Set photos from Disneyland in California recently surfaced from the production of an upcoming Disney+ series working under the codename "Ink and Paint." A small, practical effects-style puppet (similar to how Grogu was brought to life in The Mandalorian) of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit could be seen in one of the photos.
Disney+ is in the midst of development for a streaming series titled Oswald, which will be written, directed, and produced by Jon Favreau (who also created and wrote The Mandalorian, ironically). Considering one set photo showcased a puppet of Oswald and another featured Favreau, the project being worked on in the images is undoubtedly the Oswald series.
Based on the set photo of the Oswald puppet, it is clear that Disney has another Grogu on its hands. As seen in the image, the Oswald puppet is tiny. It is also modeled perfectly after Oswald's character design in animation, so the puppet is objectively adorable.
It is worth noting that Oswald is supposed to be an animation/live-action hybrid series. So, Oswald will interact with characters in live-action, which could only make fans fall more in love with him, as it will add a bit of realism to the series.
Therefore, since the set photos proved that Oswald himself will be adorable, will have those live-action interactions, will come from a Jon Favreau production, and will likely be highly marketable to fans of all ages, Oswald could have the same impact on the Disney+ subscriber pool that Grogu did.
It is also worth mentioning that another set photo revealed from the Oswald production included Kathryn Hahn, giving fans their first look at the Agatha All Along actress during production of the upcoming series.
The set photos from Oswald's production can be seen below:
Oswald will also star Amy Sedaris, who has worked with Favreau on multiple occasions, including on The Mandalorian. Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Ryder Allen will also appear in the series. Oswald does not yet have a release date. However, since the character first debuted in 1927, Disney could wait until 2027 to premiere the upcoming project, since that would be the 100th anniversary of the character's on-screen debut.
Will Oswald Reach Grogu's Level of Fame?
Grogu was undoubtedly an anomaly when he was revealed in The Mandalorian (he wasn't always so cute, though, especially in early concept art). Even non-Star Wars fans wanted some Grogu merch, whether it be a t-shirt, plush, keychain, or anything else that could be themed.
It is possible that Oswald could reach Grogu's level once the Disney+ series is released. Oswald has been around for almost 100 years, so the character has a decent-sized fanbase that Grogu didn't have until after he had premiered on Disney+.
However, Oswald probably doesn't have nearly the same reach as Star Wars, which could diminish the character's potential out of the gate.
Jon Favreau does have a knack for getting fans to fall in love with small, adorable characters, as he has done so in multiple projects. So, if anyone could make Oswald Disney's next Grogu, it would be him.
