Another year, another batch of beloved IP becoming available for creators to do with what they will. At 12:01 a.m. on January 1, the earliest version of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain, and there’s already an indie horror film in the works starring America’s favorite mouse.
Per Variety, director Steven LaMorte is helming a horror-comedy based on Steamboat Willie, the 1928 film by Walt Disney widely considered to be the cartoon debut of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. (Technically, Mickey and Minnie first appeared a few months earlier in a test screening of Disney’s short film Plane Crazy, which was never distributed—but who’s counting?) LaMorte’s currently untitled film will reportedly follow a mouse named Steamboat Willie as he torments and terrorizes a group of ferry passengers. Production on the film is set to kick off in the spring of 2024.
“Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” said LaMorte in a press release. “It’s a project I’ve been dreaming of, and I can’t wait to unleash this twisted take on this beloved character to the world.”
While Disney’s copyright on the original versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse expired at the stroke of midnight, more modern and familiar versions of Mickey and Minnie are still protected. In a press release, a Disney spokesperson said that modern versions of Mickey Mouse would “remain unaffected” by Steamboat Willie’s copyright expiration and that the company would stay vigilant regarding the unauthorized use of Mickey Mouse now that the original character has entered into the public domain. “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, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters,” read the statement.
Of course, Steamboat Willie’s Mickey Mouse is not the first beloved children’s character to get the horror treatment upon arrival to the public domain. In 2022, A.A Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh entered the public domain; the following year saw the release of horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, which turned the pants-less, honey-loving bear into a murderous freak. LaMorte is no stranger to adapting familiar IP either, having directed 2022’s The Mean One —a horror parody of The Grinch that grossed about $1 million worldwide. (No, the Grinch is not in the public domain, but LaMorte said he was able to avoid breaking copyright laws on the grounds of parody.)
LaMorte told Variety that he and his team are working with a team of lawyers to ensure that they do not infringe on Disney’s copyright while making their Steamboat Willie horror-comedy. “We are doing our due diligence to make sure there’s no question or confusion of what we’re up to,” he said, which includes referring to the character exclusively as Steamboat Willie and not Mickey Mouse. “This is our version of a public domain character. It’s a scary thrill ride with heart and humor, based on this character that everybody knows.”
He’s not the only person trying to capitalize on Disney’s fresh IP. Shortly after Steamboat Willie entered the public domain, a trailer for another slasher film called Mickey’s Mouse Trap, which follows a killer who wears a Mickey Mouse mask, was also released. And a Steamboat Willie–inspired horror game, Infestation 88, was also announced. It’s official—2024 is the year Mickey Mouse officially breaks bad.