Adi Robertson writes: “Mickey Mouse has slipped off Disney’s copyright leash. The first versions of the iconic cartoon character, seen in Steamboat Willie and a silent version of Plane Crazy, entered the public domain in the US on January 1. (An early version of Minnie Mouse is also fortunately included.) There’s still a complicated mess of protections around Mickey, but today is a moment public domain advocates have awaited for decades—and there are plenty of other exciting new entries as well.” A slasher film starring Mickey is already planned.
The Verge, Jan. 1; Duke Law School Center for the Study of the Public Domain; BBC, Jan. 2