An early Walt Disney movie featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse is among the copyrighted works from 1928 moving into the public domain on Jan. 1, 2024. But the cartoon creature who stars ...
The Walt Disney Company lost the copyright to its inaugural Mickey Mouse cartoon, Steamboat Willie, on January 1, 2024, putting the earliest iteration of Mickey Mouse into the public domain.
The 1928 short, "Steamboat Willie," is often cited as the debut of Mickey Mouse, though he did show up in an early short called "Plane Crazy" the same year, in which tried to imitate Charles ...
Some of this can get a bit tricky, and Mickey Mouse is a prime example. His entry into the public domain in 2024 only falls under his Steamboat Willie appearance in 1928, minus the white gloves.
Barely two days in the public domain, the earliest iteration of Mickey Mouse is on a rampage. Slashed free of Disney’s copyright as of Monday, the iconic character from Steamboat Willie is ...