He’s free! As of January 1, 2024, an early version of Mickey Mouse (as seen in Steamboat Willie and a silent version of Plane Crazy) has entered the public domain. And yes, that means the Minnie Mouse character from those short films is fair game too. In fact, there’s an entire list of 1928 media, including the A. A. Milne book that introduced Tigger and D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover, that is now free for everyone to use and share. But Mickey is getting extra attention today because Disney has been particularly reluctant to let go of him — there’s a reason that the law that extended the copyright period from 75 years to 95 years was nicknamed the Mickey Mouse Act by its opponents.
It’s worth noting that there are some caveats. Later versions of the character still haven’t entered the public domain, so those updated designs are off-limits. Mickey Mouse is also still trademarked, so there are some restrictions around falsely making it seem like your work is an official Disney creation. But for now, the internet doesn’t seem to be bogged down by the fine print. Mickey’s release from copyright has already inspired a horror game from Nightmare Forge Games called Infestation 88. “We thought it was just rodents, but there’s something else in here,†a voice teases in a menacing new trailer. (Clearly, the Winnie-the-Pooh slasher movie didn’t satisfy the world’s appetite to give beloved childhood characters a nasty spin.) And of course, he’s also starring in plenty of NSFW drawings and memes. Below, see how the world is celebrating Mickey in the New Year.
@20_years_ago_ Happy Public Domain Day Everyone! #MemeCut #publicdomain #steamboatwillie #mickeymouse #itysl #nye #2024
♬ original sound - 15econdreviews