Jon Oliver Trolls Disney With Steamboat Willie Promo: ‘What Are They Gonna Do, Sue?’

variety.com:

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Jon Oliver, public-domain fan and self-appointed gadfly to powerful institutions, poked a finger in the eye of the Mouse House in a new promo for his HBO show.

In a teaser for the Feb. 18 return of “Last Week Tonight With Jon Oliver” for its 11th season, the host posed next to someone dressed in a suit resembling Steamboat Willie, the 1928 version of Mickey Mouse that entered the public domain on Jan.

1 after Disney’s copyright on the character expired. “What are they gonna do, sue?” reads the poster for the show’s upcoming season premiere.

Cheeky monkey! It’s not clear whether Disney will be a target for Oliver on this season of “Last Week Tonight” or if he’s just opportunistically seizing the Steamboat Willie moment because he can. (A rep for HBO didn’t immediately respond to a request for clarification.) In an episode of “Last Week Tonight” that aired in April 2023, Oliver discussed the imminent expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright — and then introduced a Mickey Mouse-like character as the show’s new mascot. “Mickey Mouse will soon be public property in the U.S., which is a big deal because this copyright is a closely guarded corporate treasure,” Oliver said in the segment.