It’s 2024, which means that creatives everywhere are celebrating.
How is it already 2024?!
2024 marks 95 years since 1928, when thousands of copyrighted works — including Steamboat Willie — were created. Since 1928, these pieces of intellectual property (IP) have been cozied up underneath a blanket of copyright protection, but now, that is no more! Yes, Steamboat Willie, recognized as “the original Mickey Mouse,” has entered the public domain — meaning his character and likeness are available to be used by ANYONE. Well, let’s see how that’s going so far.
Let us be the first to introduce you to Mickey’s Mouse Trap, an all-new horror movie featuring none other than Steamboat Willie, and a horrifying masked killer. Yep, the mask is a Mickey mask. You can check out the trailer below.
From the looks of it, it seems that the film has been in the works for quite some time, as it was ready to go as soon as Steamboat Willie’s copyright expired. It follows along with Alex, who is working a late shift at an amusement arcade on her 21st birthday. Her friends show up to surprise her, and then things take a horrifying turn as they all end up hunted by a simultaneously terrifying and silly-looking fellow in a Mickey mask.
©Disney
According to WioNews, Disney has expressed that the copyright expiration includes only Steamboat Willie and the early versions of Mickey. The modern Mickey that we see in cartoons and the theme parks today is still protected. (Thank goodness. We don’t know if we could handle a Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway horror film.)
Don’t get any ideas, folks
This isn’t the first time things like this have happened, though. There are plenty of Disney characters in the public domain — as some of them weren’t even Disney’s characters to begin with! Just think of Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, and other princesses that appear frequently throughout other non-Disney movies. Shrek is a great example of this. Oh, and there was also that Winnie the Pooh scary movie that happened last year when Pooh entered the public domain: Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.
Wow. We didn’t have this on our 2024 bingo card. We’ll continue to keep you all updated with more Disney news, so make sure to follow along for more so that you’re always in the loop.
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What do you think of this film trailer? Let us know in the comments!
The post Mom, Can You Pick Us Up? A NEW Steamboat Willie Horror Movie Is Coming and We’re Scared. first appeared on the disney food blog.