Why Mickey Mouse-inspired horror movies are being announced all of a sudden

Mickey Mouse might seem the most unlikely character to ensnare viewers in a horror flick, but an expiration in copyright protection means an early version of the Disney mascot will stalk film screens.

On Jan. 1, the black-and-white version of the anthropomorphic mouse that officially debuted in the 1928 short film “Steamboat Willie” entered the public domain, and now will appear in not one, but two horror movies without the permission of the Walt Disney Company.

A trailer for one of the horror films, titled “Mickey's Mouse Trap” and directed by Jamie Bailey, debuted Jan. 1.

"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," a description of the film reads.

According to Variety, a second, untitled horror-comedy will be directed by Steven LaMorte and will begin production this spring. In the film, a sadistic mouse will torment a group of unsuspecting ferry passengers, Variety reported.

LaMorte previously directed the 2022 slasher “The Mean One,” inspired by the 1957 children’s book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” by Dr. Seuss.

In addition, a Mickey Mouse-inspired horror video game called “Infestation 88” has also been announced.

If this all sounds familiar to you, it may be because a Winnie the Pooh horror flick was released just last year under similar circumstances.

In a statement issued to TODAY, a spokesperson for Disney noted that “more modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected” and that the character “will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions, and merchandise.”

For more about the copyright expiration, read below.

What’s going on with Disney losing the copyright to the 'Steamboat Willie' version of Mickey Mouse?

When copyright protection on a work expires, it enters the public domain and becomes creative fair game for anyone to use without express permission.

On Jan. 1, the copyright protections on various creations featured in beloved films, books and musical works expired. In addition to the Mickey Mouse featured in “Steamboat Willie,” protections for other works like Charlie Chaplin’s film “Circus” and Virginia Woolf’s novel “Orlando” also lapsed.

Versions of Mickey Mouse that followed "Steamboat Willie" continue to be protected for the time being. This means that, for now, the more familiar characterizations of Mickey that we know today won’t appear on screen and hack into rooms with an ax anytime soon.

Disney separately holds a trademark on Mickey as a corporate mascot, and it is illegal to use the "Steamboat Willie" version of the mouse to trick customers into thinking a product or film is endorsed by Disney.

What are people saying about the Mickey Mouse-inspired horror movies?

The reactions have been about what'd you expect, with many people commenting on how quickly the projects were announced.

"Impressive that not even a day in 2024 and there’s already a Full fledged horror movie and horror game being made," wrote one commenter on a YouTube video of the "Mickey's Mouse Trap" trailer.

"It’s only been 48 hours and we already have a horror film being made. That’s impressive," wrote another.

What is 'Steamboat Willie,' exactly?

Mickey Mouse made his official screen debut in the 1928 short “Steamboat Willie.” It was the first Mickey cartoon to be released, though not the first one that was made. "Steamboat Willie" also features Minnie Mouse.

You can watch "Steamboat Willie" above, via Walt Disney Animation Studios' verified YouTube page.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com