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Disney Is Getting Sued Over Just How Much Mickey Mouse Counts as Public Domain

Last year, Mickey Mouse’s appearance in Steamboat Willie became public domain, ushering in tons of horror parodies of Disney’s iconic mascot. The Walt Disney Company gave films such as the David Howard Thornton-starring Screamboat a pass, but apparently, it thinks there’s a limit on just how much other companies can get away with using Mickey’s iconic nautical depiction. Disney has found itself in lawsuits after enforcing its intellectual property rights to its characters in Steamboat Willie ag

Morgan and Morgan takes Disney to court over 'Steamboat Willie' in ads

A legal battle over the use of “Steamboat Willie,” Disney’s pioneering animated short, is unfolding in federal court. Morgan & Morgan, Florida’s largest law firm, has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to declare the law firm’s planned use of the iconic film in an ad is protected against trademark claims from Disney. Steamboat Willie entered the public domain on Jan. 1, 2024, when Disney’s copyright protection expired. The proposed ad depicts Mickey Mouse in a boat collision with a car, after whic