THE WORLD’S MOST famous mouse is venturing out of his Disney house. The copyright for Steamboat Willie, Mickey Mouse’s 1928 debut short, expires in January 2024, making this early but iconic version of the character public domain and open to a whole new world of onscreen appearances. But will Mickey really be free for anyone to use?
The answer is yes and no. “It’s important to remember the distinction between copyright and trademark,” says Tahir Khan, who specialises in copyright law. “Disney could still assert trademark protection over the character’s image, likeness, and other distinctive attributes.” Simply put, if Scream’s Ghostface dons a pair of Mickey ears for their next outing, they could still be slapped with a hefty trademark-infringement lawsuit.
Yet Disney has been here before. Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey became a hit in 2023 (making $5.2 million from a $100,000 budget) by turning the wholesome bear into a serial killer after Pooh himself became public domain in 2022. Plans for a shared universe of sequels could open the door for a murderous Mickey.