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Credit: Sleight of Hand Productions; DisneyA horror movie inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Steamboat Willie (1928), the first film starring Mickey Mouse, is officially coming to theaters next month.
Steamboat Willie and other classic Disney animations entered the public domain in 2024 after The Walt Disney Company’s decades of lobbying for stricter copyright laws finally failed. Critics had called Disney’s influence on copyright law “The Mickey Mouse Protection Act.” This January, more Walt Disney Animation Studios films lost copyright protections, and more will join the public domain every January.
In the years since Steamboat Willie entered the public domain, creatives have used the black-and-white version of Mickey Mouse in video games, animated shorts, and even on late-night television. Next month, Disney fans will have the chance to see the company icon on the big screen in an all-new light.
On April 2, Screamboat (2025) will hit theaters. Directed by Steven LaMorte, it stars David Howard Thornton of Terrifier (2016) as a killer version of Mickey Mouse. Thornton previously starred in The Mean One (2022), a parody of Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Watch the trailer below:
“Be our guest on a New York City ferry ride that turns into a hilarious nightmare when a mischievous mouse named Steamboat Willie becomes a monstrous reality,” the film’s official description reads. “As passengers set sail, their trip turns deadly when the tiny terror unleashes murder and mayhem. Packed with big kills, big laughs, and a miniature menace, ‘Screamboat’ is a cinematic thrill ride that reimagines ‘Steamboat Willie’ like never before!”
Amy Schumacher, Martine Melloul, Steven Della Salla, and Michael Leavy joined LaMorte as producers for Screamboat. The film was executive produced by Kali Pictures, Sleight of Hand Productions, Reckless Content, and Julien Didon, with theatrical distribution by Iconic Events.
Alongside Thornton, the film stars Amy Schumacher (also a producer), Allison Pittel, Jesse Posey, Jesse Kove, Kailey Hyman, Rumi C Jean-Louis, Jarlath Conroy, and Charles Edwin Powell, with cameos from Tyler Posey, Brian Quinn, and Joe DeRosa. The movie also features parodies of Disney Princesses, including Cindi (Hyman), Bella, Jazzy, Arianna, and Rory.
This isn’t the first horror parody of a Disney icon. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey went viral when it premiered in 2023 and was so successful (despite poor reviews) that its creators released a sequel last year.
Of course, Steamboat Willie entering the public domain doesn’t give creators a license to use modern-day versions of Mickey Mouse. The Walt Disney Company has vowed to protect its intellectual property, cracking down on anyone who uses still-protected versions of its beloved characters.
“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,” a Disney spokesperson said in 2023. “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.”
After Screamboat’s theatrical release on April 2, it will have a digital and home video release.
Will you be watching Screamboat? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!