Twisted takes on iconic Mickey

Barely 24 hours after Disney’s initial copyright on Mickey Mouse expired, two new indie horror films starring the character have been announced.

Steamboat Willie, the first Disney movie to feature Mickey, entered the public domain under US law on Monday, 95 years on from its initial release.

That means anyone is now free to copy, share, reuse and adapt the primitive, early versions of the characters that appear within the film, including Mickey and girlfriend Minnie.

Despite warnings from Disney that it would seek to safeguard its most iconic character, opportunistic filmmakers had been expected to quickly announce their own unofficial remakes and adaptations – and they did not disappoint.

Mickey’s Mouse Trap will feature a masked killer dressed as Mickey stalking a group of young friends through an amusement arcade, while another untitled horror-comedy sees a sadistic mouse tormenting unsuspecting ferry passengers.

“We just wanted to have fun with it all,” said Mickey’s Mouse Trap director Jamie Bailey, in a trailer posted on YouTube.

“I mean it’s Steamboat Willie’s Mickey Mouse murdering people. It’s ridiculous. We ran with it and had fun doing it and I think it shows.”

The low-budget horrorcomedy is expected to launch in March.

Meanwhile filmmaker Steven LaMorte – known for The Mean One, a 2022 slasher romp inspired by The Grinch – is working on his own “twisted take” on Mickey.

“Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” he said.

Analysts say Disney is likely to send in the lawyers if anyone oversteps.

Only the earliest, black-andwhite version of Mickey is in the public domain – not the colourful character from later Disney films like Fantasia. And trademark protections mean that any film or product that could mislead consumers into thinking it was made by Disney could be liable.