Copyright expires, Mickey and Minnie Mouse belong to the masses now

Mickey and Minnie Mouse, two of America's iconic cartoon characters are set to become more accessible now with their initial drawings out of copyright. Mute renditions of Mickey and Minnie were initially introduced in 1928, and showcased in a silent film titled "Steamboat Willie." The depictions of these characters are now accessible to the US public following the expiration of Disney's rights over them.

This signifies that creative individuals, such as cartoonists, can now freely modify and employ the original renditions of Mickey and Minnie. In essence, anyone is permitted to use these versions without seeking permission or incurring any costs. However, Disney has cautioned that the more contemporary iterations of Mickey remain protected by copyright, according to the .

Highly symbolic US law permits the ownership of a for 95 years, a duration that was extended multiple times throughout Mickey's existence, by Congress. Originally, the characters were supposed to become public property in 1984, but Congress added 20 more years to the time limit. Before the next expiration in 2004, they extended it for another 20 years.

"What that means for us is that as of 2024, anyone will be free to copy, share, and build upon those original cartoons from 1928 and the characters within them," Jennifer Jenkins, director of the Duke Centre for the Study of the Public Domain, told the . Even with the Steamboat Willie copyright expiration, the contemporary adaptations of Mickey will remain unchanged.

Mickey will continue in his pivotal role as a worldwide representative for the Walt Disney Company, contributing to its narratives, theme park attractions, and merchandise, according to a statement by Disney. Disney maintains a distinct trademark on Mickey as both a brand identifier and a corporate mascot.

This implies that there are still restrictions on the public's usage of these images. Copyright reforms The Copyright Term Extension Act which was often dubbed the Mickey Mouse Protection Act in 1998 allowed Disney to hold on to the copyright for close to a century. Under the Copyright Act of 1976, copyright typically lasted for the author's life plus 50 years, or 75 years from publication (or 100 years from creation) for works like corporate authorship.

The Act also extended the renewal term for pre 1978 works from 28 to 47 years, totaling 75 years. In 1998, amendments increased the terms to life plus 70 years for individual authors and 95 years from publication (or 120 years from creation) for corporate authorship. For works published before 1978, the renewal term was extended from 47 to 67 years, providing a total of 95 years.

Apart from the Disney characters, the American public also now has access to various renowned works from 1928, such as Charlie Chaplin's silent romantic comedy "The Circus," AA Milne's book "The House at Pooh Corner" that introduced Tigger, Virginia Woolf's "Orlando," and DH Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover." Recently, not only Mickey but also another classic character has entered the public domain.

On January 1, 2022, the copyright for A. A. Milne's original creation, Winnie the Pooh, also lapsed. This has paved the way for the 2023 film titled "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.".