02 January 2024

The More Modern Mickey Gets The Horror Treatment after Copyright Expiration

Disney's 1928 short Steamboat Willie entered public domain on Monday and it hasn't taken long for Mickey Mouse — or at least that version of him — to make his way into a horror film. On Monday, the first trailer for Mickey's Mouse Trap debuted with the horror comedy film featuring the iconic mouse as a killer. In the trailer, someone dressed in a Mickey Mouse costume is seen attacking a victim and stalking even more inside of an amusement park. 

"We just wanted to have fun with it all. I mean it's Steamboat Willie's Mickey Mouse murdering people," director Jamie Bailey said. "It's ridiculous. We ran with it and had fun doing it and I think it shows."

You can check it out below:

Here's how the film is described: "It's Alex's 21st birthday, but she's stuck at the amusement arcade on a late shift so her friends decide to surprise her, but a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse decides to play a game of his own with them which she must survive.," (via The Hollywood Reporter).

. . .This is far from the first time a beloved character has entered the public domain and quickly gotten the horror movie treatment. In 2022, Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain — and soon after got its own horror film.


What Does Disney Say About the Mickey Mouse Copyright Expiration?

Disney has largely remained silent on the matter, save for a brief statement last year in which the company reiterated its desire to continue protecting its characters in whichever manners it legally can.

"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 last year (via Cartoon Brew). 
  • "That will not change when the copyright in the Steamboat Willie film expires. 
  • 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, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters." 
Mickey Mouse Copyright Expires in 2023 - What Happens Next? - YouTube
Uploaded: Jan 19, 2023
194K Views7.05K Likes
In this video, we'll explore what happens next if Disney's copyright on Mickey Mouse expires in 2023. Disney's copyright on Mickey Mouse is set to expire in 2023, and with that comes lots of ...

MICKEY WAS FEATURED IN THIS



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