An early version of Disney’s Mickey Mouse will enter the public domain on January 1

For nearly a century, the image of Mickey Mouse has been married to Disney’s brand, but in 2024, the copyright of Disney’s first film featuring Mickey will expire.

In just a few short days, an early version of Disney’s most iconic character will join the public domain for the first time. For nearly a century, the image of Mickey Mouse has been married to the Walt Disney Company brand, but on January 1, 2024, Disney’s copyright of “Steamboat Willie,” Walt Disney’s first short film featuring Mickey Mouse, will expire. That means that one of the company’s earliest iterations of its beloved rodent will become available for public use. “Steamboat Willie” premiered in 1928, helping launch Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney into the stratosphere. Since US copyright law, which was last updated by Congress in 1998, allows copyright to be held for 95 years, Disney’s sole claim to the character is about to end. Mickey isn’t the only classic character to enter the public domain in recent years. On January 1, 2022, the copyright on A. A. Milne’s original Winnie the Pooh character also expired. That has opened the door for more creative interpretations of the anthropomorphic teddy bear, including the 2023 slasher film, “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.” Will we similarly see Disney’s mouse mascot reimagined? Stacey Lee, a Johns Hopkins Carey Business School professor, said it’s possible — but with caveats.