Mickey Mouse entered the public domain in 2024 and from day one a terrifying video game with the image of the mouse was announced, and on day two Steven LaMorte, filmmaker, confirmed a horror film with the figure of Disney for a media outlet. It is very likely that the news with Mickey will continue in the coming days, weeks or months. However, for the director of the movie 'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey', Rhys Frake-Waterfield, his colleagues would be taking the legal issue of copyright lightly.
Frake-Waterfield argued this because he believes that Mickey Mouse, unlike the other Disney figures, such as Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, the Little Mermaid, which are also in the public domain, has a special value. In the case of the mouse, he emphasized, it is more relevant because it was the creation of the same founder, Walt Disney. That is why he warned that the company could do everything possible to prevent the image of this iconic character from being distorted.
YOU CAN SEE: Mickey Mouse looks chilling in 'Infestation 88', first project after being in the public domain
Could Disney cancel new mouse projects?
Rhys Frake-Waterfield, director of the film 'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey', stated for the news portal IndieWire that there is a process of copyright laws that would prevent new productions by his colleagues from coming to light and especially in the case of Disney.
“People think it's something easy to understand and just grab (Mickey Mouse), but there are big issues that I think they're not aware of,” Rhys said.
YOU CAN SEE: Mickey Mouse from 'Steamboat Willie' will have his first horror movie
Could 'Mouse Trap', 'Infestation 88' and LaMorte's horror film be sued?
According to Rhys Frake-Waterfield, the projects announced with the image of Mickey Mouse in their advances they could be canceled by disneysince the mouse is a brand of the company, from the ears, the red shorts, the white gloves and even the name 'Mickey'.
In that context, 'Mickey's Mouse Trap' would be in the spotlight because in its preview they show the famous face of the mouse and the detail of the title of his film also adds to a demand. In the case of Steven LaMorte, the Disney figure's characteristic white gloves appear on the official cover of his horror film. Although the director did not refer to 'Infestation 88', he is also at risk because his trailer shows the face of the small rodent.
YOU CAN SEE: 'Mickey's Mouse Trap': what will the first horror movie with the iconic Disney mouse be like?
Was Rhys Frake-Waterfield sued by Disney?
Rhys Frake-Waterfield He related from his experience that before making his horror film 'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey' he had to meet with lawyers and specialists in the field of copyright to avoid being sued by Disney. Likewise, Frake-Waterfield assures that Winnie's case is different, since the company was not its creator, but rather bought it. An important detail that makes a difference with Mickey Mouse.
Mickey Mouse entered the public domain in 2024 and from day one a terrifying video game with the image of the mouse was announced, and on day two Steven LaMorte, filmmaker, confirmed a horror film with the figure of Disney for a media outlet. It is very likely that the news with Mickey will continue in the coming days, weeks or months. However, for the director of the movie 'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey', Rhys Frake-Waterfield, his colleagues would be taking the legal issue of copyright lightly.
Frake-Waterfield argued this because he believes that Mickey Mouse, unlike the other Disney figures, such as Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, the Little Mermaid, which are also in the public domain, has a special value. In the case of the mouse, he emphasized, it is more relevant because it was the creation of the same founder, Walt Disney. That is why he warned that the company could do everything possible to prevent the image of this iconic character from being distorted.
YOU CAN SEE: Mickey Mouse looks chilling in 'Infestation 88', first project after being in the public domain
Could Disney cancel new mouse projects?
Rhys Frake-Waterfield, director of the film 'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey', stated for the news portal IndieWire that there is a process of copyright laws that would prevent new productions by his colleagues from coming to light and especially in the case of Disney.
“People think it's something easy to understand and just grab (Mickey Mouse), but there are big issues that I think they're not aware of,” Rhys said.
YOU CAN SEE: Mickey Mouse from 'Steamboat Willie' will have his first horror movie
Could 'Mouse Trap', 'Infestation 88' and LaMorte's horror film be sued?
According to Rhys Frake-Waterfield, the projects announced with the image of Mickey Mouse in their advances they could be canceled by disneysince the mouse is a brand of the company, from the ears, the red shorts, the white gloves and even the name 'Mickey'.
In that context, 'Mickey's Mouse Trap' would be in the spotlight because in its preview they show the famous face of the mouse and the detail of the title of his film also adds to a demand. In the case of Steven LaMorte, the Disney figure's characteristic white gloves appear on the official cover of his horror film. Although the director did not refer to 'Infestation 88', he is also at risk because his trailer shows the face of the small rodent.
YOU CAN SEE: 'Mickey's Mouse Trap': what will the first horror movie with the iconic Disney mouse be like?
Was Rhys Frake-Waterfield sued by Disney?
Rhys Frake-Waterfield He related from his experience that before making his horror film 'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey' he had to meet with lawyers and specialists in the field of copyright to avoid being sued by Disney. Likewise, Frake-Waterfield assures that Winnie's case is different, since the company was not its creator, but rather bought it. An important detail that makes a difference with Mickey Mouse.
