Mickey Mouse became famous thanks to the 1928 short film “Steymboat Willie.” LMPC, picture alliance/Getty Images
Almost a hundred years after its cinematic premiere, artists are allowed to copy the original Mickey Mouse without seeking permission from Disney.
“Steamboat Willie” Mickey’s 95-year copyright expires in 2024.
Disney has lobbied for decades to extend the copyright period.
This is a machine translation of an article from our US colleagues at Business Insider. It was automatically translated and checked by an editor.
Disney has fought for decades to ensure that its most famous brand ambassador remains under copyright protection. But next year that will change.
Mickey Mouse – at least the first version of the iconic cartoon character – will be released to the public in early 2024. Almost a hundred years after its premiere in the animated film “Steamboat Willie” from 1928, foreign artists are allowed to copy and modify the motif of the black and white mouse.
You no longer need to obtain permission from Disney for this purpose. Current US copyright law stipulates that copyright expires after 95 years. It is thanks to the Disney company itself that the lifespan of a copyright is so long.
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The “Steamboat Willie” Mickey Mouse looks completely different than the one we know from the Disney repertoire today. The mouse from the cartoon has a narrow, thin tail and a longer nose.
The copyright for this figure was originally supposed to expire in 1984, so a law blog from Loyola University Chicago School of Law (LUC). A 1909 regulation in the United States allowed a work to be kept from the public for 28 years – with the option to extend this period for another 28 years, according to the LUC legal blog.
However, in the 1970s, Disney successfully lobbied to be allowed to add another 20 years. This led to a new copyright law: the Copyright Act of 1976.
And 20 years later, with the end of Mickey’s new copyright looming, Disney again pushed for an extension, resulting in the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, nicknamed the “Mickey Mouse Protection Act” due to Disney’s involvement, as the LUC blog reports.
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This 1998 law is now the basis for all copyright law in the United States. However, since the law was no longer extended, anyone can use “Steamboat Willie” from January 1st.
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Copyright applies to all other variants of Mickey Mouse
But even if the “Steamboat Willie” version of Mickey Mouse enters the public domain, Disney doesn’t have to worry about fake Mickeys appearing in the world.
Every time the company creates a modified version of the character, it is protected by copyright, and all modern depictions of the friendly mouse are protected, according to the LUC authors. Disney also owns trademark rights to the modern version of Mickey Mouse, giving the brand’s mascot even greater protection.
“More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of Steamboat Willie’s copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for The Walt Disney Company in our stories, theme park attractions and merchandise,” Disney said in a statement Associated Press.
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Steamboat Willie isn’t the first iconic character to fall into the so-called public domain. In 2022, the original version of Pooh the Bear was released for free use. A year later, this character starred in a violent, R-rated slasher film called “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.”
Is a Steamboat Willie horror film next? We are excited!
MJ
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