Mickey Mouse Goes Public
On January 1st, 2024, the original Mickey Mouse film “Steamboat Willie” from 1928 entered the public domain under US copyright law. This means the creative work is no longer under exclusive rights after 95 years, allowing anyone to incorporate elements from the early Mickey cartoon into their movies or content without needing approval.
Img Credit: – New York Post
A Horror Twist
With the beloved Mickey Mouse character now available for public use, independent film studios swooped in to put their terrifying spin on Walt Disney’s creation. Just days after “Steamboat Willie” opened to public use, production company Dark Times Studios announced they will release a horror movie titled “Steamboat Willie” in 2025 featuring a bloodthirsty Mickey Mouse as the slasher villain.
Retro Reimagining
The film plans to reimagine Mickey’s first cartoon appearance in spine-chilling fashion – promising to transform the jolly, mischievous mouse known for silly antics into a menacing figure lurking below deck on the steamboat Willie, weapons in hand. Concept art depicts a Murderous Mickey wielding blades and other instruments of destruction while donning the iconic red shorts and yellow shoes of his 1928 debut.
Pushing Boundaries
In their announcement, Dark Times Studios confirmed their goal to create Disney’s scariest scene by radically redefining perhaps the most beloved children’s cartoon character in macabre fashion. The movie synopsis suggests Mickey will torture passengers graphically aboard the doomed steamboat cruise. By twisting Mickey Mouse into a ruthless killer, the film will test boundaries with stomach-churning violence never associated with Walt Disney’s family-friendly IP before.
Ongoing Legal Battles
While the studio asserts its right to tap into now public domain material, Disney could still wage legal fights, arguing that later iterations of Mickey Mouse remain under active copyright protections and are not subject to uncontrolled public usage despite the original cartoon’s expired exclusive rights. So, while Mickey’s initial persona debuted in “Steamboat Willie” may be exploited freely, his likeness in post-1928 cartoons could still prompt Disney to battle the grotesque film protectively. Either way, audiences are bracing for perhaps the most shocking Mickey Mouse imagery ever recorded when this horror version of “Steamboat Willie” attempts to set sail.
