Disney Says Goodbye to Mickey Mouse’s Best Friend, Pluto

In 2026, The Walt Disney Company will lose copyright protections for yet another of its earliest characters. January will mark the third consecutive year that Disney icons enter the public domain, starting with the Steamboat Willie (1928) version of Mickey Mouse in 2024.

The Walt Disney Company’s History With Copyright Law

For decades, The Walt Disney Company was one of the strongest lobbyists for stricter copyright protection laws in the United States. In 1998, the Mouse successfully pushed to extend copyright terms to 95 years (for corporations), adding 20 years to the protections established in the 1976 Copyright Act.

The 1998 legislation, the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, was colloquially known as the “Mickey Mouse Protection Act,” especially among dissenters who felt the policy stifled creativity and made it harder for the public to access cultural artifacts.

Disney failed to persuade lawmakers to extend copyright protections any further. In January 2024, the day that the company feared finally came to pass: Mickey Mouse, as he appeared in Steamboat Willie, entered the public domain. He and early forms of Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and more classic characters joined Winnie the Pooh, one of the earliest Disney-owned creations to lose copyright protection.

Horror video games, creepy short films, and X-rated merchandise of the black-and-white sailor Mickey Mouse flooded the market in the days and weeks after the character entered the public domain. Still, The Walt Disney Company promised to fiercely protect the versions of Mickey Mouse that are still protected under copyright law:

“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. 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.”

The Walt Disney Company did not issue a public statement when more versions of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and other historic characters entered the public domain in January 2025. Now, we’re just weeks away from the copyright protections expiring for several fan-favorite animation icons.

What’s Entering the Public Domain in 2026?

For the most part, properties from 1930 will be entering the public domain in January 2026. The most significant among Disney‘s losses next year is the first appearance of Pluto, now recognized as Mickey Mouse’s best canine friend. But there’s a catch.

Pluto first appeared in The Chain Gang (1930) as a bloodhound tasked with chasing Mickey Mouse. Later that year, the same character design appeared as Minnie Mouse’s dog “Rover” in The Picnic (1930).

However recognizable his character design, Pluto didn’t get his name until 1931’s The Moose Hunt, which will enter the public domain in January 2027. For one more year, The Walt Disney Company retains copyright protections over the character’s name and status as Mickey Mouse’s best friend.

Should other artists be allowed to use Disney’s earliest creations for their own work? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments!