Disney Confirmed to Lose Rights to Multiple Original Characters Within 5 Years

Tomorrow, Disney will lose the copyright to the original rendition of Mickey Mouse, as the big-eared icon enters the public domain after 95 years of protection. While many have been focused on Mickey being let go by the magical iron clasp of The Walt Disney Company, the other characters that will join the mouse by the end of the decade have not been discussed nearly enough.

On October 7, 1998 a year and a half after the initial introduction of the Copyright Term Extension Act and following robust advocacy from influential copyright holders such as the Walt Disney Company and Time Warner Inc., Congress successfully passed the bill, thereby extending the duration of copyright protection for creators of original works.

Since 1976, copyrights had been valid for the life of the artist plus 50 years. The newly enacted legislation prolongs copyrights for works generated on or after January 1, 1978, to the life of the author plus 70 years and extends copyrights for works created for hire and owned by corporations to 95 years, up from the existing 75-year term. This meant that Mickey Mouse, who was created in 1928, would have his copyright ownership extended to expire in 2024, as opposed to the original 2004.

While stating that Mickey Mouse will no longer be owned by Disney certainly has created a buzz online, there are certain stipulations that help Disney still control the majority of the mouse, for now. The version of Mickey entering the public domain is his first appearance on screen, in Steamboat Willie.  

As we know, there have been multiple other iterations of Mickey Mouse over the past 95+ years, with his most recent animation in The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, the recently retired Disney+ series, looking entirely different than he was initially depicted by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. It appears that Disney has been calculative in their Mickey Mouse interpretations, creating a variety which will not only give them creative control for longer, but will likely cause some creators to slip up, and use the wrong Mickey in their creations, allowing Disney to sue, and have that content removed.

As we saw with Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, the 2023 horror film, many are looking to turn these beloved and classic characters on their head once they enter the public domain, and Mickey Mouse, one of the world’s most recognizable characters, will certainly be a hot commodity.

The video gaming company Fumi has unveiled a gruesome trailer for an upcoming shoot-’em-up game titled Mouse, scheduled for release in 2025. The game features a slim-limbed rodent bearing a resemblance to the original Mickey Mouse, portrayed as a ruthless gangster. The presentation includes a black-and-white backdrop, period-specific music, and an atmosphere reminiscent of Ub Iwerks’s classic 1928 animation.

You can check out the trailer below.

The game is described as:

Join private detective in MOUSE, a gritty, jazz-fueled shooter. With guns blazing and a retro rubber hose animation style, battle your way through a corrupt city full of crooks and danger. Inspired by classic FPS and noir films, MOUSE is the explosive shooter you’ve been waiting for.

MOUSE boasts a unique visual style inspired by the charm of 1930s rubber hose animation, transporting players to a nostalgic era of early cartoons. Assume the role of a private detective navigating a noir city teeming with gangs, mobs, and characters from the dark side. Unravel a quest for justice in a noir city mired in chaos, corruption, and vibrant energy, utilizing a diverse arsenal of weapons, power-ups, and explosives to thwart the takeover by corrupt politicians. The game’s playful weaponry and distinctive health display, coupled with enemies behaving like cartoon characters, add a lighthearted twist to traditional FPS gameplay.

But, with Mickey’s copyright expiring, comes a few other characters that we know to be as the “Fab 5” that will also enter the public domain by the end of the decade. Next year, Pluto will enter the public domain, followed by Donald Duck and Goofy in 2029, according to Global Toy News. Minnie Mouse will enter the public domain tomorrow, along with her partner Mickey.

These characters will face a similar challenge to those looking to use their likeness as Mickey presents, as it will not be every rendition that we recognize available for use. However, this does signify that the end of an era is certainly upon us.

In the 2030’s multiple Marvel characters will also enter the public domain, including Captain Marvel in 2034, The Flash in 2035, and Captain America in 2036. This will be an interesting shift for Marvel, as other studios will have the chance to use these now-iconic characters, thanks to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) in their own stories.

What kind of content do you expect to see now that these characters are entering the public domain?