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Credit: DisneyMickey Mouse may be the most iconic character of all time, but that does not mean that his future is set in certain stone.
On January 1 of this year, Mickey Mouse’s earliest version– Steamboat Willie— entered the public domain, and it took nearly no time before several studios came forward announcing that they would be using the likeness of the character in their projects. From horror video games to horror movies to NFTs and everything in between, Mickey Mouse has been all over the internet. Though we’re only a few weeks into 2024, there are still developments coming forward.
As we look towards the future, a new trailer has been revealed, and in it, we can see the fate of the Steamboat Willie character and what role he’ll be playing. Fewture Studios recently released a trailer for the full-length film they’ll be releasing, made entirely in Unreal Engine.
After 95 years of being locked away, Willie is free and he wants his Steamboat back.
After 95 years of being locked away, Willie is free and he wants his Steamboat back.
Official Teaser by Fewture Studios.
Made in #UE5 pic.twitter.com/uI4oiyiLXu
— Fewture Studios (@fewture_studios) January 22, 2024
The trailer has received more than 37,000 views on X (formerly Twitter).
In the comments, fans were shocked by what they saw unfold, with one saying: “You’re gonna make me scared of Mickey now. Thanks a lot.”
Darren Ross, who is a producer on the project, shared he was excited about the future of the studio.
“Being able to invest and partner in creative minds, such as the Fewture Studios team, is one of the reasons my partners and I decided to become venture capitalist,” he said. “There are so many talented founders in the technology and media sector, but the FewTure team is ready to stand out!”
Disney has been open about the use of Mickey Mouse. The company issued a statement when Steamboat Willie went into the public domain, sharing that while he would be in the public domain, all modern versions of the character remain trademarked to Disney.
“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 told Deadline. “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, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters.”
What do you think of this new Mickey Mouse trailer? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!