Behind the scenes at Epic Mickey – Part three
Warren Spector wants to be clear: Mickey Mouse wasn’t always as boring as he is today. And it wasn’t a deliberate move to rob the mouse of his mischievous nature. It’s just the way of the cartoon world.
“It happens to every cartoon character,” he says. “They all begin as dangerous, mischievous things, then they start to settle down and become more realistic – and the way they’re drawn becomes more realistic. Eventually, they move into a nice suburban home and get some nephews who are unexplained. Then someone comes along and reminds them that they’re this anarchist thing and the cycle begins again.”
What Mickey had that held that off for a while was Walt Disney. The company founder loved his creation and viewed Mickey as his alter ego. That kept the changes minute enough that Mickey was able to establish a lasting identity.
Spector’s hoping that “Epic Mickey” marks the beginning of a new cycle – a Mickey reboot, if you will. He’s lobbying Disney to use this re-imagined character in arenas other than games, though hasn’t received any commitments on that yet.
“Realistically, all we’re trying to do is make Mickey the game hero he deserves to be,” he says. “In my secret heart of hearts, I would love to see a movie or a comic book - and I plant that seed everywhere I can and see if takes root. But if it never happens, that’s fine.”
As he returns Mickey to his rambunctious roots, Spector is encouraging his team to push the line. So far that has resulted in a few rebukes from the company, but generally they’ve encouraged his vision.
That’s, in part, due to his understanding that there are
some areas of Disney history you don’t want to explore. For instance, in his
second cinematic appearance – “Gallopin Gaucho” – Mickey was seen smoking and
drinking. He won’t in the game.
And while they’re probably good candidates for the Cartoon Wasteland, which is filled with rejected creativity, you won’t see any characters from “Song of the South,” a film many feel has racist overtones.
While Spector acknowledges that he’s best known for his “guys wearing sunglasses at night” action games (his words), work on “Epic Mickey” has allowed him to set free his inner geek. The guy is an animation freak. Heck, he even (brace yourself) likes “High School Musical”.
“I’ve kept this part of my life secret to keep my gamer cred,” he laughs.
So does he feel extra pressure with this game, knowing that people will be scrutinizing everything he does with Mickey?
If you said yes, you probably haven’t talked with or read too many interviews with Warren Spector.
“I’ve done 19 games, man,” he said when I asked him about the pressure he faces with “Epic Mickey”. “If this is the one that sinks the career, oh well. It’s better to fail at something really cool, than succeed at something boring. … I’m not scared! It’s an honor! Disney asked me if I would mess around with a character that’s one of the most famous characters on earth. I don’t feel any more pressure than I do on any other game.”
Chris Morris reports on the business and culture of video games and offers analysis of recent events and industry trends.
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My guildmates in Aion can't wait to play this. I have always been a fan of Mickey and to see him on a different side is something new. Oh well, the only negative thing about this is that it's not available in every console.
Posted by: kinah | November 10, 2009 at 01:46 PM
This makes me feel a lot better about Epic Mickey. I feel like enjoying High School Musical is a prerequisite for really understanding what makes modern Disney tick.
Posted by: Robyrt | November 07, 2009 at 11:13 AM
I love this expose on Epic Mickey. Warren Spector sounds like he has the right vision to bring Mickey back to the forefront. Can't wait for this game to arrive. Even if it isn't great, I love the vision behind it.
Posted by: Bill Graham | November 06, 2009 at 11:58 AM