An early version of Mickey Mouse became public domain. Its copyright expired on January 1. Now anyone can use the image of the famous cartoon character and create content based on it, but with few restrictions.
A version of the cartoon character Mickey Mouse has entered the public domain. This is reported by The Public Domain Review.
We are talking about the image of “Mickey Mouse” from the 1928 Steamboat Willie cartoon. Disney’s copyright for this version of the character expired on January 1, 2024.
This means that now anyone can use Mickey Mouse’s image from the cartoon to create content based on it, as well as copy and publish it. However, it cannot be said that the work was created with the participation or sponsorship of Disney.
All subsequent versions of Mickey Mouse are still copyrighted by Disney.
Previously, images of Winnie the Pooh, Sherlock Holmes, Count Dracula, Robin Hood, Snow White and other characters became public knowledge.
Author:
Kirill Bilyk
Source: RB
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
