Disney Resurrecting ‘The Mickey Mouse Club’ For The Internet

Some generations consider The Mickey Mouse Club a defining part of their childhood, being able to recite the theme song at a moment’s notice. Other generations, however, have missed the boat completely and never experienced the combination of family-friendly sketch comedy and musical numbers. Recent reports reveal that a new iteration of the show is on the way, called “Club Mickey Mouse,” which will air on Facebook instead of on TV.

Josh Mattison, vice president of digital ad sales for Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, revealed to CNBC, “We’re not bound to one format. We’re not bound to one length.”

By taking the show online, the series will no longer be forced to adhere to an episode length or structure, similar to how Saturday Night Live began incorporating digital shorts into their programming once the short films’ effectiveness was proven.

Mattison added, “That’s the beauty. What makes sense for a consumer? How long would you spend looking at something?” The program is one of Facebook’s first forays into long-term brand content with a variety of media partners.

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The original incarnation of the series debuted in the ’50s, introducing the world to the likes of Annette Funicello and Mickey Rooney. The show was then revived in 1977,but didn’t connect with audiences as effectively as the original version.

In 1989, The All New Mickey Mouse Club debuted and ran until 1996, introducing audiences to performers who are still some of the biggest names in movies and music today.

Amongst the cast of the most recent revival were Ryan Gosling, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Christina Aguilera.

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The new cast for Club Mickey Mouse has yet to be decided, but considering how the show has a history of picking talent who would go on to be top performers, being cast in the show will surely launch many careers. Maker Studios, the digital media brand, will be handling casting duties, as they do with much of Disney’s online content.

Thanks to the advancements of streaming sites like YouTube, talented performers no longer need to rely on a “big break” in their career, like getting cast in a Disney Channel variety show, as the talent typically speaks for itself and leads to top performers being discovered.