Mickey Mouse first appeared in the 1928 animated short Steamboat Willie, which was also the first animated film to use synchronized sound.
Impact: After the original Mickey Mouse copyright expired, others were free to use the character, but only in the version in Steamboat Willie. Disney’s subsequent version of Mickey Mouse is still copyrighted.
Trademark protection: Mickey Mouse is one of Disney’s trademarks, so even if the copyright expires, others cannot use it as a trademark or logo, otherwise it will constitute infringement.
Market impact: At present, there has been a lot of hype in the currency circle about Mickey Mouse’s NFT and virtual currency!
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger: In addition to Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, the copyrights of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger also expire in 2022 and 2024, becoming public domain characters.
Disney Statement: Disney said that the modern version of Mickey Mouse will not be affected by the expiration of the rights to “Steamboat Willie” and that Mickey will continue to serve as Disney’s global ambassador.