Mouse Protection News Today

The beginning of the year is a great time for the public domain, since it sees thousands of copyrighted works released from the intellectual monopoly that prevents their free creative use. Which works enter the public domain depends on the details of local copyright law, which varies around the world. But there’s a liberation that…

For the past few weeks, you can’t open any entertainment news site and not be greeted by the iconic sketch of Mr. Steamboat Willie, one of Walt Disney Studios’ very first stars. With the new year, the world’s most famous mouse and some of his closest companions have finally pulled back the curtain and are tentatively

On 1 January 2024, the iconic Mickey Mouse imagery (or at least a version of it) finally entered the public domain in the United States after nearly…

JANUARY 9 — In case you missed the boat last week, here’s the news: this year, two early incarnations of The Walt Disney Company’s iconic mascot Mickey Mouse have finally...

Mickey Mouse has (sort of) entered the public domain. The classic version of the mouse that appears in Steamboat Willie is officially free to use.

Art entering the Public Domain is always a highly anticipated annual event. Artists, creators, and consumers mark a wealth of creative...

The earliest versions of Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are free from strict copyright protections — here’s what folks are doing with them.

The earliest version of Mickey Mouse has entered public domain, and he's already getting scary

Each January 1st is Public Domain Day, when a new crop of works have their copyrights expire and become free to share and reuse for any purpose. Here's our highlights for 2024.

Starting January 2024, Disney will lose the rights to Mickey Mouse, who has struggled for decades to retain exclusive ownership. The character premiered in the 1928 animated film Steamboat Willie, Walt Disney's first short film. Mickey Mouse is not just a cartoon character, but one of America's most iconic cultural icons. The modern version of Mickey will not be affected by the expiration of copyright, and all related products, stories and movies are still the property of Disney, adding,...