Tigger Is Leaving the Hundred Acre Wood for First Time in Nearly 100 Years

The most wonderful thing about Tigger? He’s the only one, and it looks like the beloved character is heading out of the Hundred Acre Wood for the first time in nearly 100 years.

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger posing together at a character meet and greet — Credit: Disney

Tigger No Longer Owned by Disney, Will Enter Public Domain for First Time in Nearly 100 Years

The lovable and eccentric tiger from the classic Winnie the Pooh gang of stuffed animals enters the public domain for the first time in nearly 100 years, meaning the iconic legendary character is no longer owned by the House of Mouse, Disney.

Tigger is a fictional, anthropomorphic tiger who first appeared in A.A.
Milne’s 1928 story collection The House at Pooh Corner (1928). Tigger is known for his energy and bouncing on his tail. He is one of Winnie-the-Pooh’s best friends and lives in a treehouse in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Tigger is based on one of Christopher Robin Milne’s stuffed toy animals.
He first appeared in Disney’s 1968 short film Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. Tigger is known for his catchphrase, “The wonderful thing about Tiggers is Tiggers are wonderful things!”.

Disney acquired the copyright to Winnie the Pooh’s books and characters in 1961. In 2001, Disney paid $350 million for the rights to Pooh. Disney still owns the rights to Milne’s books and characters published after 1926, including later materials published by the company using Milne’s characters – but those rights have expired as of 2024, at least for Tigger.

Tigger in The Tigger Movie from Disney. — Credit: Disney

New Winnie the Pooh Content Already in the Works

But as mentioned above, Tigger is now in the public domain, meaning anyone can get the rights to produce content that reflects the character. The first production film to use Tigger will be the sequel to the horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023), which is simply titled Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 (2024).

Tigger was a minor antagonist in the 2023 British horror film but was not in the original movie because he is not yet in the public domain. However, Tigger will appear in the sequel scheduled for release this year. The sequel will feature a violent and sadistic version of Tigger. So children should be warned that this is not a kid-friendly adventure through the Hundred Acre Wood.

With Tigger now in the public eye, numerous television and film companies will likely attempt to create new content based on the loveable and iconic tiger we have all come to know and love. Variety first reported in 2022 that a new prequel film coming out soon based on the Winnie the Pooh characters will be produced and released by Baboon Animation and IQI Media, Inc.

Tigger dipping paw in hunny from a still from the Disney animation film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. — Credit: Disney

Mike de Seve, known for his work on DreamWorks animations like “Madagascar” and “Monsters vs. Aliens,” is set to direct and co-write the latest installment of the endearing tales featuring a lovable honey-loving bear and his companions. Joining him in the creative process is John Reynolds, a fellow DreamWorks alumnus associated with “The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show.”

The upcoming prequel is a collaboration between Baboon, a renowned story development and screenwriting company in the global animation industry, with an impressive collection of 31 Emmy awards for their work on projects like Angry Birds (2016) and Gigantosaurus (2019). Leading the charge at Baboon is Mike de Seve. To bring this project to life, Baboon has partnered with IQI, a content incubator lab and subsidiary of Winvest Group. Together, they aim to deliver a captivating animated experience that builds on the legacy of the beloved characters.