Disney’s ‘MouseWorks’ Costs May Set Animation Record

While CBS has emphasized frugality in its children’s lineup, Disney, the big cheese in animation, is about to launch what industry sources call the most expensive and ambitious project ever produced for children’s television: “MouseWorks,” the first new made-for-TV Mickey Mouse cartoons in 40 years.

The buzz among animation executives is that Disney is spending as much as $1 million for each half-hour of the program, substantially more than the most costly animated children’s series, including Disney’s new “Hercules” and Warner Bros.’ “Superman.” (Certain prime-time shows, such as Fox’s “The Simpsons,” cost more, due largely to years of raises and the high price paid to producers and vocal talent.)

Walt Disney Television President Charles Hirschhorn wouldn’t comment specifically about the budget but did say Disney is “producing these at an extraordinary level of quality” and that it’s “fair to say that it’s at a significant premium.”

Featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto in animated shorts ranging from 90 seconds to seven or eight minutes, “MouseWorks” will join ABC’s Saturday morning lineup early next year. Some of the cartoons may air on the Disney Channel as well, and there’s talk about premiering a few theatrically--as adjuncts to Disney feature films--during the holidays.

Animators say the investment in “MouseWorks” demonstrates the rising stakes in that field as well as the project’s importance to higher-ups at Disney.

“They’ve got to figure they’re going to get it back through revitalized merchandising and international [sales],” said one TV executive, who described the marching orders at the studio as “Do whatever it takes to make this great. It’s Mickey Mouse, for God’s sake.”

Beyond the heightened budget, producers have been afforded extra time to work on the series--providing them the luxury of creating original music and then animating to it, for example, as opposed to laying in the musical score after the fact.

According to Hirschhorn, “We said if we’re going to go back and do [original Mickey Mouse cartoons], it’s worth the effort and the time to do it right.”