Disney’s 96-year-old cartoon “Steamboat Willie” entered the public domain on Monday with the turn of the new year, alongside the earliest depiction of the character Tigger and Charlie Chaplin’s film “Circus.”
The expiration of the copyright has been widely interpreted to mean Mickey Mouse himself is now public domain – however, this only applies to the version of the character depicted in ‘Steamboat Willie.’ More contemporary versions of the mouse remain copyrighted.
It also remains somewhat unclear how much Disney will move to protect their iconic rodent under trademark law – which, unlike copyright law, extends in perpetuity, and forbids non-Disney companies from using the character deceptively to suggest a product originates from the original creator.
“Ever since Mickey Mouse’s first appearance in the 1928 short film Steamboat Willie, people have associated the character with Disney’s stories, experiences, and authentic products,” Disney said in a statement to The Associated Press. “We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright.”
However, the scramble to put Mickey Mouse in horror games and late-night shows began well before the New Year. As early as April 2023, John Oliver pledged to make the mouse the new mascot of “Last Week Tonight” once the copyright expired.
And it had scarcely been twelve hours into 2024 before Nightmare Forge announced rodent-themed survival horror game “Infestation 88,” starring a twisted and nightmarish Mickey. Roughly the same happened the year before with “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey,” and yes, a sequel featuring Tigger has been confirmed.
“Steamboat Willie,” directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, was one of the first cartoons to feature synchronized sound, and the first of three Mickey Mouse cartoons to be released (though it was the third to be made). It also includes the earliest version of Minnie Mouse and Pete.
