Mickey Mouse, or at least a certain version of Mickey Mouse, enters the United States public domain today, January 1, 2024.

The first movies featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse —Steamboat Willie and the silent version of Plane Crazy­—were released in 1928, and works from that year go into the public domain in the US (95 years from publication for works published 1928–1963).

It is one of the most anticipated entries in the public domain. Mickey has been a famous “copyrighted” character but it is also the hero of a 95-year-old love triangle story.

a tangled drama that rivals any Disney movie for twists and turns.

What can and can’t you do with Mickey Mouse as of January 1, 2024?

Well, it’s complicated… It is copyright law.

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Featured Image: Mickey Mouse is released from his copyright prison, NIghtCafe