Disney’s ‘Steamboat Willie’ has become public domain as of January 2024, which means AI generated imagery can now be widely found online. The copyright was originally set to expire in 1984, but in 1998, Disney successfully lobbied along with other entertainment companies to extend copyright protections to life of the author plus 70 years for a maximum of 95 years.
Put simply, this just means that U.S. residents can use the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse without fear of copyright infringement. However, copyright laws vary by country, so in some areas this version of Mickey still remains protected. Want to generate your own AI images? Try out Bing Image Generator for free.
- Give a movie fan or any kid who lives for high-flying adventures a gift full of details to inspire the imagination with this LEGO Disney and Pixar...
- This 598-piece LEGO Disney set includes a partial house built with balloons, different rooms and functions, 2 minifigures, a LEGO animal figure and...
- The set includes beloved Disney and Pixar movie characters: Carl Fredricksen and Russell LEGO minifigures, and a Dug LEGO dog figure for dog lovers....
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,” said Disney.
[Source]
