The trailer for the slasher movie was released as the cartoon character entered the public domain.

It’s Mickey, but not as you’ve ever seen him before.

A trailer for a slasher film, featuring a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse, was released on 1 January, the day that Disney’s copyright on the earliest versions of the cartoon character expired in the US.

“We wanted the polar opposite of what exists,” the movie’s producer said.

A new Mickey-inspired horror game, showing the rodent covered with blood stains, also dropped on the same day.

Steamboat Willie, a 1928 short film featuring early non-speaking versions of Mickey and Minnie, entered the public domain in the US on New Year’s Day.

It means cartoonists, novelists and filmmakers can now rework and use the earliest versions of Mickey and Minnie.

  • glimse@lemmy.world
    2·
    11 months ago

    To clarify, I meant that don’t care about fighting to extend the copyright. I see how my wording implies they don’t care about Steamboat Willie so I’ll edit my comment

    they will be watching very closely for anything that steps out of line into trademark violation territory regarding Steamboat Willie.

    Definitely agree with you here

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      3·
      11 months ago

      Ok, I get you now. I think both your and my factors probably play a part. I’m just glad there’s no major corporation out there left trying to extend copyright law even longer than the ridiculous 70 years after the author’s death that it is now.

      For much of the 20th century, copyright in the U.S. was 19 years with an option to extend for another 19 when that expired. And it should have stayed that way.