When Walt Disney first released the cartoon short film Steamboat Willie in November 1928, it was groundbreaking. It was one of the cartoons to use synchronized sound, and would go on to become one of ...

The copyright on Mickey Mouse expires today, meaning The Walt Disney Company no longer has the exclusive rights to the character. Does this mean you can put Mickey in your own cartoon? Not exactly.

An early Walt Disney movie featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse is among the copyrighted works from 1928 moving into the public domain on Jan. 1, 2024. But the cartoon creature who stars in ...

Some versions of Mickey are still under copyright protection. Here’s the lowdown on what’s fair game and what isn’t. Technically, later versions of Mickey are still under copyright, but you have some ...