A masked killer dressed as Mickey or a sadistic mouse tormenting passengers on a ferry: just 24 hours after Disney's original copyright on Mickey Mouse expired, two new independent horror films starring the beloved character have been announced.
Under American law, “Steamboat Willie,” the first Disney film to feature the friendly rodent, entered the public domain on Monday, 95 years after its debut. This means that anyone can now copy, share, reuse and adapt early versions of the characters featured in the film, including Mickey and his girlfriend Minnie.
Despite Disney's warnings that it would try to protect its most famous character, some filmmakers were expected to seize the opportunity and quickly announce their own unofficial remakes and adaptations. And they didn't disappoint us.
In “Mickey's Mouse Trap,” a masked killer disguised as Mickey stalks a group of young friends in an arcade. Another film will be an untitled horror comedy in which a sadistic mouse torments unsuspecting passengers on a ferry.
“We just wanted to have fun with it,” said “Mickey's Mouse Trap” director Jamie Bailey in a teaser posted on YouTube. “I mean, it's Mickey Mouse from 'Steamboat Willie' who kills people. It is ridiculous. We had fun making the film and I think it shows.” The lowbudget film is scheduled to premiere in March.
Meanwhile, filmmaker Steven LaMorte, known for “The Mean One,” a 2022 “Grinch”inspired horror film, is working on his own “twisted version” of Mickey.
“'Steamboat Willie' has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies the potential for pure, unbridled terror,” he said in a press release.
Production on the film will begin in the Northern Hemisphere in the spring.
The two projects are reminiscent of “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey,” a lowbudget horror film that found success last year after the copyright expired on the first books by AA Milne, the character's creator.
Analysts say Disney will be watching this closely and will likely call in its lawyers if anyone goes too far. Only the first blackandwhite version of Mickey is in the public domain, not the colorful character from later Disney films like “Fantasia.”
“Of course, we will continue to protect our rights to the latest versions of Mickey Mouse and other copyrighted works, and we will work to protect against consumer confusion caused by the unauthorized use of Mickey Mouse and our other iconic characters.” said Disney. in the note.