Mickey Mouse enters the public domain in 2024

Almost 95 years after its creation in 1928, entertainment company Disney will loose its rights on its iconic character Mickey Mouse. Following US copyright law, the little mouse will enter the public domain. Don’t get too excited though, because it seems that the House of Mouse may only lose the copyrights of the “Steamboat Willie” version of the character. The short black and white animated film features a more ratlike and sometimes cruel Mickey Mouse, which is very different from the happy-go-lucky and sweet Mickey we know today. The recognizable Mickey with the red shorts and yellow shoes will remain under copyright for the foreseeable future.