Next year the copyright on Mickey Mouse will expire. What are your predictions around this? Lots of non-Disney comics on the market about the character?
I have a hard time getting my brain around it all. Disney has continued to release Steamboat Willie and other early shorts on new media, but that doesn't extend their company's copyright? Is it only the earliest iteration design of Mickey that will be public domain?
Is it only the earliest iteration design of Mickey that will be public domain?
Yes. And even that probably with heavy restrictions but I don't know the details. Don't expect all kinds of non-Disney Mickey stuff to pop up everywhere starting January.
Is it only the earliest iteration design of Mickey that will be public domain?
Yes. And even that probably with heavy restrictions but I don't know the details. Don't expect all kinds of non-Disney Mickey stuff to pop up everywhere starting January.
Exactly! don't forget that Disney also claims Mickey Mouse (character) as a trademark. that puts further restrictions on free public use.
Next year the copyright on Mickey Mouse will expire. What are your predictions around this? Lots of non-Disney comics on the market about the character?
Winnie the Pooh became PD a year or two back, and it seems that the only major new media to come of it is a awful, schlocky slasher film. I don't imagine it being any different for The Mouse.
It’ll take a while for anything worthwhile for multiple reasons. This only applies to the US for one, rest of the world is a couple decades away from a public domain mickey. The only shorts will be gallopin gaucho and steamboat willie, meaning even things like calling minnie minnie aren’t doable yet. More reasonable people will wait first not just for more shorts to be usable but also to see how disney deals with the situation. And only those willing to rush a product will go in, meaning the products that do come out will be unlikely to be of any quality.
That said, it’s also inevitable and inexorable. Every year more shorts will be public domain, and it’s an unstoppable snowball. Eventually someone will figure out good uses of it, and comics are decently likely to be the answer, since they’re cheaper to produce. I could also see an influx of indie games made.
Next year the copyright on Mickey Mouse will expire. What are your predictions around this? Lots of non-Disney comics on the market about the character?
Winnie the Pooh became PD a year or two back, and it seems that the only major new media to come of it is a awful, schlocky slasher film. I don't imagine it being any different for The Mouse.
Give it a couple years and I can see some lovingly made proper adaptations popping up. Pooh is an extremely beloved franchise that definitely has fans willing to treat it with care. There's no need to rush, it's not like he's going away from public domain again.
And the advantage pooh has is he’s becoming PD roughly worldwide at around the same time, compared to mickey. In effect, it’ll be by the 2050s you’ll really start seeing good use of mickey
Winnie the Pooh became PD a year or two back, and it seems that the only major new media to come of it is a awful, schlocky slasher film. I don't imagine it being any different for The Mouse.
Give it a couple years and I can see some lovingly made proper adaptations popping up. Pooh is an extremely beloved franchise that definitely has fans willing to treat it with care. There's no need to rush, it's not like he's going away from public domain again.
I don't doubt that we will (Pooh's best animated adaption is an unofficial Soviet one after all!) we'll just have to wade through A LOT of trash to get to the good stuff.
Soo.. does this all mean that the first Disney comic, "Lost on a Desert Island" will enter public domain in like two years? And that after that, we will get a constant stream of Disney comics entering public domain every single year?
All I've seen today is a schlocky horror film and a schlocky horror game both announced and ton of shock comics of MM swearing and saying slurs and such. I hope something (a comic, game, animation) will be announced soon that truly honors the character and his legacy.
