The earliest versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, featured in the 1928 short “Steamboat Willie,” will become available for public use beginning January 1, 2024.
This is the first time that any version of the iconic Disney character will no longer be subject to copyright protections, according to The Associated Press. “This is it. This is Mickey Mouse. This is exciting because it’s kind of symbolic,” Jennifer Jenkins, a professor of law and director of Duke’s Center for the Study of Public Domain, said of the development. “I kind of feel like the pipe on the steamboat, like expelling smoke. It’s so exciting.”
United States law currently allows a copyright to be held for 95 years. This number has been extended several times as multiple groups, including Disney, lobbied for extensions.
“It’s sometimes derisively referred to as the Mickey Mouse Protection Act,” Jenkins said of the laws, per AP. “That’s oversimplified because it wasn’t just Disney that was pushing for term extension. It was a whole group of copyright holders whose works were set to go into the public domain soon, who benefited greatly from the 20 years of extra protection.”
The “Steamboat Willie” version of the world’s most recognizable mouse is different than the more modern version that Disney fans know and love, which is a point the media company made in a statement to AP.
“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,” a Disney spokesperson told the outlet. “That will not change when the copyright in the ‘Steamboat Willie’ film expires.”
“More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the ‘Steamboat Willie’ copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions, and merchandise,” the statement continued. “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.”
Earlier this year, A.A. Milne’s original “Winnie the Pooh” characters entered the public domain, which led to some unique entertainment projects. Some fans were shocked at the January release of the horror film “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey,” which featured Pooh and Piglet as deranged serial killers.
Besides the original Mickey and Minnie characters, the “Winnie the Pooh” character Tigger will also enter the public domain on January 1.