Mickey Mouse enters the public domain, but with many legal caveats
Newsy
That means writers and filmmakers can now write a book or movie using the character without fear that Disney will sue them over copyright violations.
Ninety-six years after their first big-screen appearance, two of the most iconic and recognizable characters in the world are sailing straight into the public domain.
It marks the first time the characters of Mickey and Minnie Mouse can freely be used by artists, writers, and filmmakers in their artwork, books, or films without the fear of legal action from The Walt Disney Company.
"This is the juggernaut. This is it. This is Mickey Mouse," said Duke University School of Law Professor Jennifer Jenkins.
But just to be clear, it's not the modern Mickey we know today with his bright red pants and cartoonish voice—it's the mischievous, voiceless, and black-and-white boat captain from "Steamboat Willie."
The short film debuted in 1928 as a technical marvel—the first cartoon to feature synchronized sound. But today, the eight-minute animation is remembered more as the work that catapulted the career of Walt Disney, introduced the world to Disney's longest-running mascots, and helped change copyright law as we know it.
