Entertainment giant Disney may lose its exclusive rights to iconic cartoon character Mickey Mouse in 2024. US Copyright law states that intellectual property on an artist's work expires 95 years after its first publication. As such, the 95-year-long copyright held on Mickey Mouse by Disney will expire in 2024, giving anyone the opportunity to use…Entertainment giant Disney may lose its exclusive rights to iconic cartoon character Mickey Mouse in 2024.
As such, the 95-year-long copyright held on Mickey Mouse by Disney will expire in 2024, giving anyone the opportunity to use the cartoon character in non-Disney content. The Copyright Act of 1976 granted Disney’s copyright protection for an additional 75 years after it had already been in place for 56 years.Mickey Mouse is an iconic cartoon figure who came to represent optimism during the American Great Depression. The cartoon character initially appeared in a 1928 short film with perfectly synchronized sound- in which the movements on screen match the music and sound effects, making it a pioneer in animation.
Early this year, other Disney characters, including Honey-loving bear Winnie the Pooh from the Hundred-acre Woods and most of his animal friends, entered into public domain.