Mickey Mouse's Copyright Control Set to Expire, Entering Public Domain

The original version of Mickey Mouse from the 1928 animated short "Steamboat Willie" is set to enter the public domain in 2024, after a 95-year copyright lifespan. Disney has spent decades lobbying to extend copyright protection, resulting in the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998. However, while the original Mickey Mouse will be in the public domain, Disney's altered and modern versions of the character, as well as its trademarks, will still be protected. This is not the first iconic character to enter the public domain, as Winnie the Pooh's initial version became free to use in 2022.