The first of January marks the time when some characters and stories enter the public domain, which means that other creators can use them. We’ve already seen that happen with the likes of Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood And Honey, which despite being fairly dreadful, made enough ($4 million worldwide from a $100,000 budget) to spawn a sequel. This year, it’s the turn of Mickey Mouse –– or at least, the version of the character and some others as seen in 1928 short ‘toon Steamboat Willie. At least two horror movies are in the works, with one, Mickey’s Mouse Trap already at the teaser stage, and you can find the footage below…
With Jamie Bailey directing, the film stars Sophie McIntosh, Callum Sywyk, Allegra Nocita, Ben Harris, Damir Kovic, Mackenzie Mills, Nick Biskupek and Simon Phillips. A basic synopsis you wondered about? Here you go… “It’s Alex’s 21st birthday, but she’s stuck at the amusement arcade on a late shift so her friends decide to surprise her, but a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse decides to play a game of his own with them which she must survive.”
The film promises to be a cross between Five Nights At Freddy’s and Scream, but it remains to be seen if it’s any good.
Also on the way? An untitled new film from Grinch-flavoured horror The Mean One director Steven LaMorte which will see a sadistic mouse tormenting a group of unsuspecting ferry passengers. Shooting for that one is set to begin in the spring.
“Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” LaMorte said in a press release. “It’s a project I’ve been dreaming of, and I can’t wait to unleash this twisted take on this beloved character to the world.”
But in case you were rushing to start making a film based on current incarnations of the character, think again: only the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey, Minnie and others is part of the public domain move. And Disney, famously protective of its many copyrighted characters, will not stand for any nonsense.
“We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters,” the company said in a statement last month.
