{"id":43041,"date":"2024-01-02T20:04:04","date_gmt":"2024-01-02T20:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/mickey-mouse-horror-films-announced-as-disney-copyright-expires\/"},"modified":"2024-01-02T20:04:04","modified_gmt":"2024-01-02T20:04:04","slug":"mickey-mouse-horror-films-announced-as-disney-copyright-expires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/mickey-mouse-horror-films-announced-as-disney-copyright-expires\/","title":{"rendered":"Mickey Mouse horror films announced as Disney copyright expires"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Oh boy! Barely 24 hours after Disney\u2019s initial copyright on Mickey Mouse expired, two new indie horror films starring the beloved character have been announced.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Watch ARY News live on\u00a0live.arynews.tv<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Steamboat Willie<\/em>,\u2019 the first Disney movie to feature Mickey, entered the public domain under US law on Monday, 95 years on from its initial release.<\/p>\n

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 his girlfriend Minnie.<\/p>\n

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 \u2014 and they did not disappoint.<\/p>\n

\u2018Mickey\u2019s Mouse Trap<\/em>\u2018 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.<\/p>\n

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Projects that have been announced after the early version of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain:<\/p>\n

\u2022 MICKEY\u2019S MOUSE TRAP (horror film)
\u2022 Untitled film from Steven LaMorte (horror film)
\u2022 Infestation 88 (horror game) pic.twitter.com\/3y6bbOMF9g<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 2, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cWe just wanted to have fun with it all,\u201d said \u2018Mickey\u2019s Mouse Trap<\/em>\u2018 director Jamie Bailey, in a trailer posted on YouTube. \u201cI mean it\u2019s Steamboat Willie\u2019s Mickey Mouse murdering people. It\u2019s ridiculous. We ran with it and had fun doing it and I think it shows.\u201d<\/p>\n

The low-budget horror-comedy is expected to launch in March.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile filmmaker Steven LaMorte \u2014 known for \u2018The Mean One<\/em>,\u2019 a 2022 slasher romp inspired by The Grinch \u2014 is working on his own \u201ctwisted take\u201d on Mickey.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Steamboat Willie\u2019 has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,\u201d he said in a press release.<\/p>\n

Production on the untitled film is due to begin this spring.<\/p>\n

Both projects are reminiscent of \u2018Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey<\/em>,\u2019 a micro-budget slasher film that drew headlines last year after the copyright on the first A.A. Milne books expired.<\/p>\n

Analysts say Disney will be watching closely, and is likely to send in the lawyers if anyone oversteps.<\/p>\n

Only the earliest, black-and-white version of Mickey is in the public domain \u2014 not the colorful character from later Disney films like \u2018Fantasia<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n

And trademark protections mean that any film or product that could mislead consumers into thinking it was made by Disney could be liable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters,\u201d said a Disney statement.<\/p>\n

But LaMorte told Variety he was not concerned.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are doing our due diligence to make sure there\u2019s no question or confusion of what we\u2019re up to. This is our version of a public domain character,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Related \u2013 Mickey Mouse is poised to venture into the metaverse<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n