Trailer for Mickey Mouse Horror Film Arrives As Character Enters Public Domain

Disney's 1928 short Steamboat Willie entered public domain on Monday and it hasn't taken long for Mickey Mouse — or at least that version of him — to make his way into a horror film. On Monday, the first trailer for Mickey's Mouse Trap debuted with the horror comedy film featuring the iconic mouse as a killer. In the trailer, someone dressed in a Mickey Mouse costume is seen attacking a victim and stalking even more inside of an amusement park. You can check it out below.

Here's how the film is described: "It's Alex's 21st birthday, but she's stuck at the amusement arcade on a late shift so her friends decide to surprise her, but a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse decides to play a game of his own with them which she must survive.," (via The Hollywood Reporter).

"We just wanted to have fun with it all. I mean it's Steamboat Willie's Mickey Mouse murdering people," director Jamie Bailey said. "It's ridiculous. We ran with it and had fun doing it and I think it shows."

The film, which does not have a release date at this time, stars Sophie McIntosh, Callum Sywyk, Allegra Nocita, Ben Harris, Damir Kovic, Mackenzie Mills, Nick Biskupek, and Simon Phillips.

Why Did Steamboat Willie Enter Public Domain?

The earliest versions of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse entered the public domain on January 1st thanks to current copyright law. Currently, that law states that characters and stories are protected for 95 years after publication with those characters becoming "free game" for interpretation on the 96th year after publication. That means that both Steamboat Willie and Plane Crazy, two animated shorts produced and released by Walt Disney in 1928, are both now in Public Domain.

This is far from the first time a beloved character has entered the public domain and quickly gotten the horror movie treatment. In 2022, Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain — and soon after got its own horror film.

What Does Disney Say About the Mickey Mouse Copyright Expiration?

Disney has largely remained silent on the matter, save for a brief statement last year in which the company reiterated its desire to continue protecting its characters in whichever manners it legally can.

"Ever since Mickey Mouse's first appearance in the 1928 short film Steamboat Willie, people have associated the character with Disney's stories, experiences, and authentic products," Disney said in a statement last year (via Cartoon Brew). "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, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters."

What do you think about the Mickey's Mouse Trap trailer? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.