The short film that introduced Mickey Mouse to the world, 1928’s Steamboat Willie entered the public domain on January 1, 2024, and a handful of Mickey Mouse-themed horror projects have already been announced. The upcoming video game Infestation 88 will feature a monstrous version of Mickey, while horror movie Mickey’s Mouse Trap is also coming soon.
And that’s just the tip of this iceberg with mouse-shaped ears, as Variety has announced today that another untitled Steamboat Willie/Mickey horror movie is already in the works.
Steven LaMorte, who directed last year’s The Mean One – itself a horror movie that turned the iconic “Grinch” character into a slasher maniac… we’re sensing a pattern here, Steven – will sit in the director’s chair for the upcoming untitled horror-comedy, which will of course center on “a sadistic mouse” who will “torment a group of unsuspecting ferry passengers.”
“Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” LaMorte said in a press release. “It’s a project I’ve been dreaming of, and I can’t wait to unleash this twisted take on this beloved character to the world.”
“It all comes from our love of these characters,” he tells Variety. “Filmmakers — we’re all kids in the sandbox. We love taking them and playing with them in different ways. It’s not a desire to ruin these characters or make a quick buck, but to love them and honor them and show them in a new light.”
One thing for filmmakers to be aware of is that the only version of Mickey that’s in the public domain is the original incarnation of the character as seen in the classic Steamboat Willie cartoon, with the more iconic modern day depiction of the character still being off limits. Using the name “Mickey Mouse” will also likely still land you into legal trouble with Disney.
A representative for Disney said in a statement over the weekend, “More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions, and merchandise.
“We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters.”
It’s the same story for Winnie the Pooh, who was originally introduced in the 1920s by author A.A. Milne. The version of the character that Disney made into a pop culture icon is not up for grabs, while the original incarnation of the character is technically in the public domain. That’s how we ended up with last year’s horror movie, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.
Steven LaMorte says of his upcoming Steamboat Willie slasher, “We are doing our due diligence to make sure there’s no question or confusion of what we’re up to. This is our version of a public domain character. It’s a scary thrill ride with heart and humor, based on this character that everybody knows.”
Stay tuned for more on all this madness as we learn it.
‘Mickey’s Mouse Trap’ (2023)