In 2024, several well-known books, films, and musical compositions will enter the public domain, including works like "All Quiet on the Western Front," "Peter Pan," and the Marx Brothers' musical "Animal Crackers." However, one particular work is receiving a lot of attention - the 1928 animated short "Steamboat Willie," which marked the film debut of Mickey Mouse.
After almost a hundred years, this iconic piece of entertainment will finally enter the public domain, meaning Disney will lose its exclusive control over it. This opens up opportunities for others to use the images of Mickey Mouse in their creative works, such as books and films. However, there is a catch: they can only use the original "Steamboat Willie" versions, not the more familiar renditions of the character.
Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard law professor and copyright expert, explains that this is a full circle moment, where the public can now build upon the works of Disney, just as Disney built upon the works of the public domain before them. This represents how creativity is supposed to happen, with each generation adding its own twist to existing ideas.
While this is a significant moment, there are limitations. The characters cannot be used in a way that misleads consumers into thinking Disney has produced or sponsored the product. Intellectual property and public domain expert Jennifer Jenkins compares the public domain to a box of chocolates, as you never know what you're going to get. She mentions the example of Winnie the Pooh, which entered the public domain two years ago and led to the creation of unconventional works like the critically panned slasher film, "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey."
Disney, a company that has heavily relied on public domain works for its movies like "The Lion King," "Frozen," and "The Little Mermaid," is now facing the prospect of their own creations entering the public domain. In the next few years, characters like Donald Duck, Superman, and Batman, as well as movies like "The Wizard of Oz," "Casablanca," and "Gone with the Wind" will also enter the public domain.
Source: Youtube
