Since they also own everything else, it’s easy to forget that Disney now also owns The Simpsons, along with retaining rights to the “Star Wars” franchise. Itr doesn’t take Yoda to figure out that the two would someday be made as one.
That day is today, May the 4th, as Disney+ premieres Maggie Simpson in The Force Awakens from its Nap. The three-and-a-half minute animated gem is streaming now on Disney+.
It is as great as one might imagine if too damn short. It is also 100 per cent The Simpsons with nothing but cheek shown to the Disney overlords.
It starts with a sly reference to an early (and one of my all-time favourite) Simpsons’ episodes. Trying to reduce spoilers here but two words: Ayn Rand.
Marge drives Maggie to Jabba’s Hut Jedi Preschool and a succession of Star Wars gags ensue. The short is packed with Easter Eggs and cool little references. There have been times in the Simpsons‘ canon where Maggie is the focus and she usually emerges as the hidden superhero in the family. This is another one of those shining times as she embarks on an epic quest for her stolen pacifier.
So this isn’t really a review because you’d have to really be on the dark side to spoil gags in a three-and-a-half minute film. Just stick around to the very end credits for the subtle but actually quite significant cameos from two Disney/Simpsons legends.
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The short is apparently the first of several from The Simpsons coming to Disney+ throughout this year. Let the merchandising begin!
