Mickey Mouse horror film trailer released on same day iconic Disney movie enters public domain

A trailer for a Mickey Mouse horror film was released on 1 January 2024, the same day that Disney’s copyright on the earliest known version of the cartoon character entered public domain.

Mickey’s Mouse Trap features a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse wearing a mask which appears to be inspired by the Steamboat Willie version of the character.

It was released after its copyright to the 1928 version of the character expired in the US.

The country’s copyright law says rights to characters can be held for 95 years.