Credit: DisneySince entering the public domain, Mickey Mouse has gone from cute cartoon to monster and maniac in the horror genre. While these reveals definitely got a reaction, he’s not living up to his full potential like Betty Boop.
Mickey isn’t the only famous fictional character to enter the public domain in recent years; just ask Winnie the Pooh. However, he’s not even the only famous cartoon character on the list.
While owned primarily by Paramount, Fleischer Studios’ Betty Boop has several shorts in the public domain and recently received a full-fledged stage musical inspired by her animated outings. The premiere production of BOOP! ran from November 19 to December 24, 2023, and it’s safe to assume that the creators took some inspiration from those same cartoons. What’s to stop Mickey from doing the same?
Mickey Mouse Needs a Musical, NOW!
Although Mickey has been featured in a number of different stage productions for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and the rest of the Disney parks, the Walt Disney Company has yet to put him or his best gal, Minnie Mouse, up on the Broadway stage. Considering how much success the company has had with productions of The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Frozen, you would think Mickey would be at the front of the line.
Even though the primary cartoons in the public domain are Plane Crazy (1928) and Steamboat Willie (1929), they lend themselves perfectly to the musical medium. Remember, Steamboat Willie was the first cartoon to utilize music and sound for its comedic effects.
With that in mind, a musical adaptation of Mickey’s revolutionary short film should be a no-brainer. Considering the amount of musical talent Disney has on its payroll, it’s honestly a shock that Mickey and Minnie haven’t hit the stage sooner.
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That’s all a great concept, but those wanting to adapt this version of Mickey to the stage should also keep in mind that a few liberties would have to be taken. Mickey and Minnie might be public domain, but friends like Donald Duck and Goofy aren’t, and it would be exceptionally difficult for anyone outside the Walt Disney Company to do the project justice.
Even with those obstacles, that doesn’t mean something like this can’t and shouldn’t be done. In a time when everyone is rushing to stuff the animated icon into slasher movies, survival horror games, and grotesque artwork, shouldn’t other creators use Mickey’s likeness for something more magical?
Would you see a Mickey Mouse Musical? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!