Mickey Mouse has been in the public domain for under 48 hours and there's already a horror game and 2 horror movies on the way

The treasured 1928 Disney animation, Steamboat Willie, which introduced Mickey and Minnie Mouse to audiences, has entered the public domain following almost a century of copyright protection due to continued changes in US legislation. The newfound availability of these beloved children's characters has inspired their creative use in new works. In fact, three Mickey-inspired horror projects, two movies and one game, have already been revealed.

The game, "Infestation: Origins" was announced via IGN promptly after it had legally become possible. It's a cooperative play horror game revolving around an exterminator dealing with threatening infestations led by old characters and urban legends; Mickey is notably the chief villain. Developed by Nightmare Forge Games, Infestation had initially been introduced as "Infestation 88", referring to its 1988 backdrop. However, widespread suspicion about this number's controversial connotations forced the developers to modify the title. They apologized for their ignorance and were thankful that the issue was detected early enough to be rectified. The release of the game is projected for later this year, adding on to the genre's increasing wave in recent years, following the likes of Phasmophobia and Lethal Company.

"Mickey's Mouse Trap", a movie described by its makers as "the first-ever live-action Mickey Mouse comedy horror feature film" also made its announcement this week. The enactment of familiar characters in situations that were previously litigious gives it an inherent appeal despite mixed reactions towards its trailer. Variety reported another horror comedy production inspired by Steamboat Willie, although the project remains untitled.

This trend of iconic children's characters transformed into horror elements mimics last year's "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey", a horror movie adaptation of the lovable character after the first Winnie the Pooh book became part of the public domain in the US in 2022. A similarly themed game called "Hundred Acre Wood" is currently under development.

Mickey's incarnation in Steamboat Willie, a distinct version from Disney's modern mascot that has become a symbol of innocent charm, is the one that has entered the public domain. Known for causing mischief to other animals in the animation, Mickey's excessively violent nature gives a somewhat natural transition into the horror genre. This is expected to inspire an influx of Mickey-styled supernatural villains, twisted re-imaginations and possibly even a "Lies of P" gamestyle featuring Mickey as the protagonist.