(CNN) – In just two days, a first version of Disney's most famous character will enter the public domain for the first time.
The image of Mickey Mouse has been associated with the Walt Disney Company brand for nearly a century, but on January 1, 2024, Disney's copyright will expire on “Steamboat Willie,” Walt Disney's first short film starring Mickey Mouse.
That means one of the first versions of the company's popular rodent will be available for public use.
“Steamboat Willie” versus modern Mickey
“Steamboat Willie” premiered in 1928 and brought fame to Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney. Because U.S. copyright law – last updated by Congress in 1998 – requires copyrights to last for 95 years, Disney's exclusive right to the character will soon end.
Mickey isn't the only classic character to enter the public domain in recent years. On January 1, 2022, the copyright for AA Milne's original Winnie the Pooh character also expired. That's opened the door to more creative interpretations of the anthropomorphic teddy bear, including the 2023 horror film “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.”
Will Disney's mouse mascot be reinvented? Stacey Lee, a professor at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, said it's possible, but with caveats.
“You can take 'Steamboat Willie' and do whatever you want with it,” he said.
“However, as we traditionally understand it, Mickey Mouse is trademarked and therefore remains largely the property of Disney.”
There are differences between the 1928 Mickey and the company's current mascot. The Mickey from “Steamboat Willie” lacks the oversized gloves and shoes of today's Mickey, and his eyes are small black ovals with no pupils.
In a statement to CNN, a Disney spokesperson said the modern version of Mickey is not affected by the copyright expiration.
“Since Mickey Mouse's first appearance in the short film Steamboat Willie in 1928, people have associated the character with authentic Disney stories, experiences and products. That will not change when the copyright of the Steamboat Willie film expires,” he said. spokesman.
“More modern versions of Mickey will not be affected by the Steamboat Willie copyright expiration, and Mickey will continue to play a prominent role as a global ambassador for The Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions and products.”
Disney isn't giving up on its famous mouse
We also won't see Mickey as another company's mascot due to the company's trademark on later versions of Mickey Mouse, Lee said.
“Like the Nike Swoosh and Tiffany Blue, Disney owns Mickey,” Lee said. “You can’t use it for advertising in such a recognizable way.”
Despite the copyright expiration, acquiring Disney's famous mouse could be “a little complicated,” Lee said. “If they feel like you're diluting their brand, if they feel like you're hurting their brand, that becomes problematic and they'll sue you.”
However, there are some exceptions to Disney's tight control over its friendly mouse. Even the more modern version of Mickey Mouse can be shown for educational purposes, as satire or as a parody, Lee said.
A Disney spokesperson confirmed to CNN that the company is taking a proactive approach to protecting its brand.
“Of course, we will continue to protect our rights to more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright, and we will work to protect consumers from confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters “, he said the spokesman.