From the start of 2024, 95 years after it was created, Disney’s original Mickey Mouse character, as seen in the 1928 short Steamboat Willie (below), passes into the public domain and becomes free to use. However, anybody thinking about doing something with the world’s
ost famous rodent should read Disney’s fine print before getting underway.
For example, newer versions of Mickey Mouse cannot be used until their copyright expires, Mickey’s likeness cannot be used to deceive or mislead people and new works cannot suggest any affiliation to Disney.
Main image: Hilarity By Default