Iconic Children’s Character Now Open in Public Domain

Due to copyright laws, the original version of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain on January 1st, 2024.

There has been controversy over the copyright expiration of Steamboat Willie. Now that he is classified as public domain, new content starring the character has featured him in a new light.

“I sincerely hope that he remains untouched: besides Cinderella’s Castle, he is literally one of the emblems of the entire Disney corporation. Having said that, I am wise (or, perhaps, jaded is a better word?) enough to know that someone, somewhere, at some point will do something weird to almost anything, regardless of its reverence to others,” Ms. Cathy Williamson, music teacher at the Fleetwood Area High School, said.

Steamboat Willie, the short film named after the character, is known for its impact on the history of animation. It first came out in November of 1928, and it was the first film with synchronized sound.

Steamboat Willie was copyrighted in 1928, which means that the original creators of the work own the full rights to the character along with anyone else granted permission to use him. Copyright on a character expires 70 years after the original creator’s death.

After the time expired, the classic icon entered the public domain, which means that everyone is allowed to use Steamboat Willie however they wish without copyright repercussions.

“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,” Disney, the company that owned the rights to Steamboat WIllie and Mickey Mouse, said.

“Disney has fought to keep its copyright of the famous cartoon character as long as possible, lobbying the US government to extend copyright protection before it was originally set to expire in 1984. Many lawmakers agreed, and in 1976 the law was changed to allow owners to retain copyright protections for the duration of the life of the author plus an additional 50 years,” Time Magazine wrote.

According to the times, Disney once again managed to extend the copyright laws for 70 years after the creator’s life.

Out of the expiration of the copyright, one of the top news stories was the announcement of a Steamboat Willie horror movie set to release sometime in March, according to Variety News. It’s under the direction of Steven LaMorte.

Because of new media productions featuring Steamboat Willie in unusual scenarios, controversy has evolved as to whether or not it’s morally right.

“In my personal opinion, I don’t think it’s a great idea to release him to the public because of the character Walt Disney wanted him to be. When he’s in a horror film, that ruins everything Walt Disney made Mickey for,” Noah Orth, a student at Fleetwood Area High School, said.

“As a big fan of Disney, I feel it is inappropriate when iconic characters and storylines are altered, ‘rebooted,’ or ‘refreshed.’ For example, when Whinnie the Pooh’s copyright expired and went into public domain, the once-cuddly and lovable children’s character was turned into a bloodthirsty murderer,” Williamson added.