Serial killer Mickey Mouse film trailer drops same day US copyright of cartoon character expires
to US copyright law, works published between 1923 and 1978 are protected for 95 years following the date of publication. Disney has tried to prevent this from happening, over the years — in 1998, it lobbied for the Copyright Extension Act, which added 20 years, adding up to 95 years. That act would eventually be dubbed the “Mickey Mouse Protection Act.” “Ever since Mickey Mouse’s first appearance in the 1928 short film ‘Steamboat Willie,’ people have associated the character with Disney’s stories, experiences, and authentic products,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement.