"Mickey Mouse Enters Public Domain, Inspires New Horror Film Amidst Renamed Game Controversy"

As 2024 begins, a variety of classic works have entered the public domain alongside "Steamboat Willie," including other Mickey Mouse shorts like "Plane Crazy" and "The Galloping Gaucho," as well as Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons. Tigger from A.A. Milne's "The House At Pooh Corner" is now free to use, and notable books such as Virginia Woolf's "Orlando" and Erich Maria Remarque’s "All Quiet On The Western Front" are also available for new adaptations. Films from 1928 like "The Singing Fool" and "The Cameraman" have become public property, and songs like "Mack The Knife" and "When You’re Smiling" can now be covered without paying royalties, although some recorded versions may still be copyrighted. This shift opens the door for creators to explore and reinvent these classic works without legal restrictions.