After nearly a century, Mickey Mouse is free of Disney’s copyright holdings. The first versions of the classic cartoon character, as seen in Steamboat Willie and Plane Crazy, are now available in the public domain in the US as of January 1, 2024. This also includes an early version of Minnie Mouse.
There are still many protections surrounding Mickey, but today marks a pivotal moment in history, and there are many other exciting entries as well.
Rules Regarding Public Domain
For ongoing characters like Mickey Mouse, the law surrounding copyright is especially complicated. The public domain version of the character does not include major design changes as seen in future works, such as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice version of Mickey from Fantasia (1940).
You also cannot produce a work that falsely represents itself as a Disney production or piece of official merchandise, due to the fact Mickey is also a registered trademark belonging to Disney. A comprehensive explanation of the law can be found in the Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain by Jennifer Jenkins.
The public domain represents the final destination of copyrighted work, that is, part of a compromise that acknowledges the benefit of allowing creatives to profit and control from their work in the short term while building on each other’s ideas in the long term.
Disney has relied on such a balance while making fairy-tale adaptions like Cinderella and Snow White. It’s also essential to allow archivists to preserve old media after creators die or it can no longer be found since it allows copies to be made without legal concerns.
Mickey’s Mouse Trap
On the very same day that Steamboat Willie entered the public domain, a teaser trailer for a horror slasher film, entitled Mickey’s Mouse Trap, dropped online.
It features a group of teenagers enjoying time spent at a local arcade when suddenly Mickey Mouse appears as some kind of crazy serial killer.
This film is being made by Bailey Phillips and co-produced by Mem Ferda. It is being directed by Jaime Bailey and is not affiliated or endorsed by Disney in any way.
Currently, no release date has been revealed.