Everyone is talking about Disney and Mickey Mouse, but not for the reasons the Walt Disney Company would like you to. In 2024, Disney is set to lose a Mickey Mouse copyright, but does that mean they will lose control of Mickey entirely?
The answer is No.
Disney will lose the copyright to only one version of Mickey Mouse—the original 1928 version.
Technically, Mickey’s shows and films will slowly begin to enter the public domain as the years go by. There are many versions of Mickey over the years. Disney will still have the copyright on all of those versions and the Mickey Mouse name. Every time they changed something about the character design, the copyright law was reset for that version.
Don’t worry. Disney still owns Mickey Mouse, and a Disney spokesperson put out this statement regarding the copyright loss.
“Ever since Mickey Mouse’s first appearance, people have associated the character with Disney’s stories, experiences, and authentic products. That will not change when the copyright in the Steamboat Willie film expires.
We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright.”
Make no mistake: Disney will continue to guard Mickey Mouse with everything they have. They have tried for years, so Mickey never entered the public domain in 1984 when it was supposed to.
Copyright law in 1928 indicated that something could enter the public domain after 28 years unless another 28-year extension were authorized. Then, in 1976, Disney pushed to get the law changed and ended up with another extension of 20 years in the Copyright Act of 1976.
Then, again, in the 1990s, Disney lobbied Congress and got another change made. The Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, which many jokingly call the “Mickey Mouse Protection Act,” allowed another twenty-year extension for Disney. This led to Disney getting 95 years for the 1928 Mickey Mouse copyright.
But it seems the end of the road has finally come, and Disney will lose the copyright on the original version of their brand-defining character. But they are far from losing Mickey Mouse. Plus, Disney owns the trademark on this character, too. He is a brand identifier for the Walt Disney Company, so they will likely try to stop anyone trying to sell merchandise or utilize the 1928 Mickey Mouse for something deemed “brand damaging.”
What do you think? Comment and let us know!
Pirates & Princesses (PNP) is an independent, opinionated fan-powered news blog that covers Disney and Universal Theme Parks, Themed Entertainment and related Pop Culture from a consumer's point of view. Opinions expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of PNP, its editors, affiliates, sponsors or advertisers. PNP is an unofficial news source and has no connection to The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal or any other company that we may cover.