Disney could soon lose exclusive rights to its most iconic cartoon character as Mickey Mouse's 95-year copyright is set to expire in two years.

1. Disney could lose the exclusive rights to Mickey Mouse within two years: The iconic
character's 95-year copyright expires in 2024
● Mickey will be for the public domain in 2024, following U.S. copyright laws that state
intellectual property on artistic work expires at the 95-year mark
● When Mickey Mouse first appeared, Disney's copyright was protected for 56 years
● The company supported the Copyright Act of 1976 which extended protections for 75
years. In 1998, Disney lobbied for a further extension
● It is unclear whether the entertainment giant plans to make another move before
2023 to prevent Mickey from being moved into the public domain
● Once copyright expires, anyone wishing to use characters from everyone's favorite
rodent will not have to request permission or pay copyright charge

2. Disney could soon lose exclusive rights to its most iconic cartoon character as Mickey
Mouse's 95-year copyright is set to expire in two years.
Mickey will become available for the public domain in 2024 under U.S. copyright law that
states intellectual property on artistic work expires 95 years after first publication.

3. Mickey Mouse first appeared in the 1920s and has become both the symbol for media
conglomerate Disney and one of the most recognizable animated characters.
When he first appeared in 1928, Disney's copyright was protected for 56 years but as the
beloved cartoon character approached the end of its copyright, Disney successfully lobbied
for the Copyright Act of 1976 which extended protections to 75 years.
>>> Check out: Mickey Mouse Bathroom Set
And then in 1998, Disney lobbied for a further extension, giving it protection for 95 years.
It is unclear whether the entertainment giant plans to make another move before 2023 to
prevent Mickey from being moved into the public domain. DailyMail.com has reached out for
comment.
Once the copyright expires, anyone wishing to use characters or concepts from everyone's
favorite rodent will not have to request permission or pay copyright charges.
This means creatives could make Mickey the center of non-Disney stories.
The character could follow in the footsteps of Winnie the Pooh which recently entered the
public domain after its copyright expired in January.
Since then, the children's character has been portrayed as a serial killer in horror movie
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Horror.
Associate Director of the Film Legal Clinic at UCLA School of Law Daniel Mayeda told The
Guardian that people will be allowed to develop new storylines for Mickey, but could still face
copyright claims if they are too similar to Disney's original.
'You can use the Mickey Mouse character as it was originally created to create your own
Mickey Mouse stories or stories with this character,' Mayeda told the outlet.
'But if you do so in a way that people will think of Disney – which is kind of likely because
they have been investing in this character for so long – then in theory, Disney could say you
violated my copyright.'
The iconic Mickey had its origins in a cartoon called Hungry Hobos, which was made in 1928
and was only found in 2011.
The Disney cartoon featured a character who was the prototype for Mickey Mouse and was
later discovered in a British film archive.
The black-and-white footage features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and was drawn shortly
before the character was abandoned and turned into Mickey Mouse that same year.
Mickey as its currently know first debuted in the film 'Steamboat Willie,' premiered at what
was then the Colony Theatre on Broadway on November 18, 1928.

4. One of the first cartoons to use synchronized sound and music, the film would make Mickey
a star.
He has appeared in over 130 films next to his girlfriend Minnie Mouse, dog Pluto and friends
Donald Duck and Goofy, among others.
Mickey's copyright expiry follows Winnie the Pooh's in January.
Fans of Winnie then reacted with horror after discovering in May that Jagged Edge
Productions would put a dark twist on the loveable characters by A. A. Milne.
The production company announced an adaptation of the children's classic known all over
the world into a horror movie in which Pooh and Piglet become sick serial killers.
Fans said they were 'devastated' by the decision, and Winnie the Pooh should forever
remain 'sacrosanct.'
The movie, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, was described by IMDB as a horror film
following Pooh and Piglet as they go on a rampage after Christopher Robin abandons them.
>>> See More: https://reverlavie.com/product-tag/mickey-mouse-bathroom-set/