After Only A Day in The Public Domain, Mickey Mouse Is Getting Brutalized On Social Media

Clearly, people have been waiting for this moment for a while. They have been preparing for Mickey Mouse to enter the public domain so they can do whatever they choose with the beloved symbol of the Walt Disney Company without fear of repercussions. And that was probably the draw of all this: the ability to take a classic American icon and use him however you saw fit without the looming threat from Disney’s army of lawyers. And that has turned images of Mickey Mouse into the wild wild west on social media.

Steamboat Willie, starring Mickey Mouse, debuted in 1923. Steamboat Willie was a triumphant breakthrough for Walt Disney Animation and film as a whole. It was the first animated feature synced with sound, setting off a new generation of films. But that was 95 years ago, and United States copyright law only holds for 95 years, despite Disney’s best efforts to change it. 

So, on January 1, 2024, the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain as Disney lost the copyright, and the floodgates opened.

Emmy-winning director Jason Gallagher claimed on social media that he was one of the first people to create something using the public domain version of Mickey Mouse. He clipped images of Steamboat Willie and Minnie Mouse to sync with Cardi B’s song, “W.A.P.”

It's 2024 which means Mickey Mouse as the iconic Steamboat Willie is officially in the public domain.

I believe this makes me the first person in the history of the world to legally reinterpret the character. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/HMLS0zHzZp

— Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) January 1, 2024

Fans and haters alike took to calling January 1 “Public Domain Day,” as it became their chance to use the beloved character without fear of violating United States copyright law. Some of the creations were innocent enough, like pairing him up with his “brother” Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. But others were a little more outside the norm. Some images showed iconic character burning books, killing other characters, using overt racism, and advertising for businesses.

But the worst was the use of Mickey was as a killer in the film, Mickey’s Mouse Trap. This is similar to the use of Winnie the Pooh as a cannibalistic killer last year. Another A.A. Milne book, Return to Pooh Corner, also saw its copyright expiration on January 1. This is Tigger’s first appearance, which has also become public property.

Despite Mickey and Minnie Mouse becoming public property, the Walt Disney Company still owns the modern version of them, and social media users and filmmakers need to be careful not to infringe on Disney’s copyright.

Daniel Mayeda from the UCLA School of Law told Newsweek: 

You can use the Mickey Mouse character as it was originally created to create your own Mickey Mouse stories or stories with this character. But if you do so in a way that people will think of Disney—which is kind of likely because they have been investing in this character for so long—then, in theory, Disney could say you violated my trademark.

So, while the original Ub Iwerks drawing is open for public use, the Walt Disney Company is watching. 

We will continue to update this news at Disney Fanatic.