One of the most popular characters of all time, Mickey Mouse, will enter the public domain in 2024, but only Mickey, in its earliest form from Steamboat Willy, can be used in a very limited way by artists and creators other than Disney.
Steamboat Willie is a film born in 1928 in which Mickey Mouse first appeared, and US law stipulates that Mickey Mouse's copyright is valid for 95 years, which means that 2024 will be the year when the specific copyright expires. Disney and a number of other companies have struggled to keep their intellectual property out of the public domain, and they have both worked with Congress to extend the copyright for 20 years.
In an interview with the Associated Press, a Disney spokesperson detailed the specific implications of the expiration of the rights to the "Steamboat Willie" movie. "Ever since Mickey Mouse debuted in the 1928 short film Steamboat Willie, people have associated the character with Disney's stories, experiences and authentic products," he said. This will not change even if the rights to the "Steamboat Willie" movie expire.
More modern versions of Mickey will remain untouched by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie rights, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role in our stories, theme park attractions, and merchandise as a global ambassador for The Walt Disney Company. Of course, we will continue to protect our rights to more modern versions of Mickey and other works that are still copyrighted. ”
While the copyright may expire, Disney still uses Mickey as a "company mascot and brand identifier." In addition, creators will not be able to make any deceptive work that misleads consumers into believing that their Mickey Mouse has anything to do with Disney, as the company will "work to prevent the unauthorized use of Mickey Mouse and our other iconic characters from causing confusion to consumers." ”
In addition to Mickey, the rights to Tigger in Winnie the Pooh will also enter the public domain next year.