Will Mickey Mouse be a public domain?

Works published in 1922 or earlier were in the public domain in 1998, with works published in 1923 set to expire at the beginning of 1999. The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, however, was passed by Congress. It extended the terms of older works by 20 years, keeping 1923 works locked up until 2019.

Many people, anticipated another battle over copyright extension in 2018. But it never came to pass. Because Congress left the existing law in place, the 1923 copyrights expired on time this morning.And, assuming Congress does not intervene, more works will enter the public domain in January of each year from now on.

The copyright for Steamboat Willie will expire on January 1, 2024, along with Disney's claim to the film's star, Mickey Mouse. Between 2031 and 2035, the copyrights to Superman, Batman, Disney's Snow White, and early Looney Tunes characters will all be released into the public domain.

The expiration of copyrights for characters such as Mickey Mouse and Batman will raise new and difficult legal issues. Disney will no longer have copyright protection for Mickey's original incarnation after 2024. However, Disney will retain copyrights for future incarnations of the character, as well as Mickey-related trademarks.