Mickey Mouse is in the public domain as of today

The most famous mouse in the world and the mascot of Disney, Mickey Mouse enters the public domain today, 95 years after its debut in 1928. To be more specific, we are talking about the first version of the cartoon, in which Mickey is dressed as a sailor and has fun on his various adventures. It is a milestone in the evolution of legislation on copyright in the United States. The emblematic character long ago became a symbol of a 1998 Congressional legislation that considerably expanded the terms of copyright. This extension granted Disney a few additional decades of control over the iconic character.

1st version of Mickey in the public domain

This version is known as Steamboat Willie, which is part of the original 1928 short film of the same name and will lose its copyright reservation to Disney. The most contemporary version of Mickey Mouse, seen in current cartoons or even in other media such as the game Kingdom Hearts, will remain under Disney rights for years to come.

As an interesting curiosity is that another well-known cartoon character, the big tiger, Winnie the Pooh, has also entered the public domain as of today (January 1, 2024). He will join his friend Winnie the Pooh, who recently became a public domain character.

Although it may sound natural, where a work simply becomes public property over the years, it is a maneuver in which the brand Walt Disney Company has been dealing with justice in the United States for a few decades. Working with the government, the company managed to postpone twice the deadline for productions in the country to enter the public domain.

If today we are seeing that productions in the United States enter the public domain almost a hundred years after their debut, know that the Walt Disney Company had a direct influence on this. At the Brazil The works last for 70 years, counted from January 1st of the year following the death of the author or last co-author, if the work was produced by more than one person. When a film reaches 70 years since its screening, the following year it enters the public domain in Brazil. To illustrate, let's consider the year 2016, which marked 70 years of films released in 1946. Thus, on January 1, 2017, all films from 1946 became part of the public domain in Brazil.

If you don't know exactly which version Steamboat Willie what we are talking about, check it out below:

How does it work in practice?

From this year onwards, the characters portrayed in Steamboat Willie, including Mickey e Minnie, will be considered public domain. In practice, this implies that anyone is free to share, adapt or remix this material without compensating Disney for use of intellectual property. Jennifer Jenkins, director of the Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain, warns about certain rights and prerogatives that persist in this process.

Freedom of use only extends to the original versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse from 1928, and it is not permitted to use characters with copyrighted elements or their subsequent versions. Those wishing to use the image must be careful to avoid confusing consumers by ensuring that it does not appear that the creation is produced or sponsored by Disney, in accordance with trademark laws.

Other Disney works

In the vast universe of Disney, building a legacy is not just about internal creativity, but also the ability to transform existing works into true pearls for the company. The magic behind hits like Frozen e The Lion King goes beyond the mere creation of studio scripts, finding roots in other literary classics.

The inspiration for Frozen's plot was taken from the pages of The Snow Queen, a work immortalized by Hans Christian Andersen. Already The Lion King arrives with inspiration from the work Hamlet, by William Shakespeare. Disney, recognized worldwide for bringing magic to children — and also to adults — transforms these sources into captivating stories, full of iconic characters and unforgettable soundtracks.

But the dive into classic tales doesn't stop there. Titles like Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid e Pinocchio have as their source works written by renowned authors such as Lewis Carroll, The Brothers Grimm, Victor Hugo, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen e Carlo Collodi.

Jennifer Jenkins emphasizes that the public domain is Disney’s “trick up its sleeve.” The ability to freely explore works that already belong to the cultural collective allows the company to shape magical worlds and win hearts across the planet. It is possible to affirm that Disney's legacy, created through the fusion of creativity and cultural heritage, has narratives that transcend generations.

And you, what did you think of the news? Now that the first version of Mickey is in the public domain, will we see more of him in several other works? Tell us Comment!

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reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 28 / 12 / 23.