Disney Might Lose Mickey Mouse As 95 Years Copyrights Nears

[RAMROD 102,068]

As a consequence of US copyright law, entertainment giant Disney could soon lose the exclusive rights to some of the characters most responsible for the brand’s universal recognition, including the mouse that acts as its mascot.

Mickey Mouse will enter the public domain in the year 2024, almost 95 years after his creation on 1 October 1928 – the length of time after which the copyright on an anonymous or pseudo-anonymous body of artistic work expires.

Daniel Mayeda is the associate director of the Documentary Film Legal Clinic at UCLA School of Law, as well as a longtime media and entertainment lawyer. He said the copyright expiration does not come without limitations.

“You can use the Mickey Mouse character as it was originally created to create your own Mickey Mouse stories or stories with this character. But if you do so in a way that people will think of Disney – which is kind of likely because they have been investing in this character for so long – then in theory, Disney could say you violated my copyright.”

Mayeda said it’s important for artists like Waterfield not to cross the line when it comes to creating new works based on the old characters. Certain aspects of a character that the general public recognizes as part of the Disney brand are off-limits for artists who wish to make use of the copyright expirations. If a particular work confuses the public into thinking it is actually affiliated with Disney, there could be major legal consequences.

“Copyrights are time-limited,” Mayeda said. “Trademarks are not. So Disney could have a trademark essentially in perpetuity, as long as they keep using various things as they’re trademarked, whether they’re words, phrases, characters or whatever.”

Disney may still maintain trademarks on certain catchphrases or signature outfits worn by the characters, such as Pooh’s red shirt, which Waterfield intentionally avoided using in his upcoming horror movie.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jul/03/mickey-mouse-disney-copyright-expiry
 

 

And yes, Mickey Mouse is a celebrity, amid the fictional ones. He even got his own star on Walk of Fame, so this tag is correct  

[bionic 40,672]

Is this the same kind of copyrite expiring that gave us the horror Winnnie the Pooh film? 

[RAMROD 102,068]

Just now, bionic said:

Is this the same kind of copyrite expiring that gave us the horror Winnnie the Pooh film? 

Yes, it is

[bionic 40,672]

1 minute ago, RAMROD said:

Yes, it is

Can't wait for Killer Mouse from Outer Space

[RAMROD 102,068]

Just now, bionic said:

Can't wait for Killer Mouse from Outer Space

That would be interesting

[Starmie25 11,399]

Disney can take Cuphead instead. 

[Galvon 1,857]

I didn't know they could lose the rights to their own characters.

[Economy 45,762]

17 minutes ago, Galvon said:

I didn't know they could lose the rights to their own characters.

Everything that is patented or copyrighted eventually expires

 

If it is an artist, I believe their work becomes available to all 75 years after their death...

 

If it is a new drug it expires after 12 years in the US if I'm not mistaken (varies by Nation). That's why drug costs usually finally drop when a patent expires because generics then become available. Before that expiration a drug has no competitors and they can price gauge you as much as they want 😶

[weed 70,339]

yasssss!!! We love to see it. I would LOVE a major movie studio making a Mickey movie, something huge 

[RudraCNG 14,077]

It's Disney, surely their soulless executives/lawyers will find a way to change the law in their favour, as they have done before.

[River 101,633]

They will probably go Nintendo and file everything Mickey as trademark every few years.

tbh the merch situation is going to be more devastating to them economically than someone is making a horror Mickey film.