Disney will soon lose copyright on Mickey Mouse, and the character can be used by anyone

Disney may soon lose exclusive rights to its most iconic cartoon character as Mickey Mouse's 95-year copyright expires in two years, reports Dailymail.

Photo: Shutterstock

Mickey will go public in 2024 under US copyright law, which states that the intellectual property of a work of art expires 95 years after first publication.
Mickey Mouse first appeared in the 1920s and has become both a symbol of the Disney media conglomerate and one of the most recognizable animated characters.

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When it first appeared in 1928, Disney's copyright was protected for 56 years, but as the beloved cartoon character's copyright was coming to an end, Disney successfully lobbied for the Copyright Act of 1976, which extended the protection to 75 years.

And then in 1998, Disney lobbied for a further extension, giving it protection for 95 years.

It's unclear if the entertainment giant plans to take another step before 2023 to prevent Mickey from being released into the public domain.

After the copyright expires, anyone who wants to use the characters or concepts of the beloved character will not need to ask for permission or pay copyright fees.

This means creatives can make Mickey the centerpiece of non-Disney stories.

The character could follow in the footsteps of Winnie the Pooh, who recently entered the public domain after his copyright expired in January.

Since then, the childish character has been portrayed as a serial killer in the horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.

Associate director of the UCLA Law School Film Law Clinic, Daniel Maieda, told The Guardian that people would be allowed to develop new storylines for Mickey, but could still face copyright claims if they were too similar to the Disney original.

“You can use the Mickey Mouse character as he was originally created to create your own stories or Mickey Mouse stories with the character,” Maeda told the publication. “But if you do it in a way that makes people think of Disney—which is likely because they've been invested in this character for so long—then Disney could theoretically say you've infringed its copyright.”

The iconic Mickey has its origins in a cartoon called Hungry Hobos, which was made in 1928 and was only found in 2011.

The Disney cartoon features a character that inspired Mickey Mouse and was later discovered in the British Film Archive.

The black-and-white footage of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was drawn shortly before the character was abandoned and turned into Mickey Mouse the same year.

Mickey, as he is known today, made his first film debut in Steamboat Willie, which premiered on November 18, 1928 at what was then the Colony Theater on Broadway.

It is one of the first cartoons to use synchronized sound and music. This film made Mickey a star.

He has appeared in over 130 films with his girlfriend Minnie Mouse, dog Pluto, and friends Donald Duck and Goofy.

Mickey's copyright expires following Winnie the Pooh's in January.

Vinnie's fans then reacted with horror after learning in May that Jagged Edge Productions would be giving a sinister twist to AA Milne's lovable characters.

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The production company has announced the adaptation of the world-famous children's classic in the form of a horror film in which Pooh and Piglet become sick serial killers.

Fans said they were "devastated" by the decision and Winnie the Pooh should remain "untouchable" forever.

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey has been described by IMDB as a horror film about Pooh and Piglet going on a rampage after being abandoned by Christopher Robin.

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