Peter Pan and Tigger Join Steamboat Willie in the Public Domain
After years of delaying the inevitable, on January 1, 2024, Mickey Mouse officially entered the public domain, or at least the original version of Mickey Mouse.
With the dawn of the new year, Steamboat Willie officially entered the public domain, meaning that for the first time ever, independent creators could freely use the early version of Mickey Mouse.


Photo: D23
Disney Battled to Protect Mickey
Initially, Mickey was scheduled to enter the public domain in 1984, fifty-six years after Steamboat Willie was released. Through two acts of Congress, Disney was able to extend copyright protection to its current 95-year limit. Now, the day of reckoning has arrived.


Photo: Disney
While we have already seen independent creators announce that they will be creating Steamboat Willie-based horror content, Mickey is not the only famous character to enter the public domain at the dawn of the year.
Tigger Joins Mickey in The Public Domain
For Disney fans, the second most recognizable character to enter the public domain will be A.A. Milne’s Tigger.
While Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain in 2022 to much fanfare, Tigger did not appear in a Pooh story until 1928’s The House at Pooh Corner.
Now that 95 years have elapsed since readers were first introduced to Tigger, the original A.A. Milne version of the character is fair use.
J.M. Barie’s Peter Pan is Also Free to Use
Also entering the public domain is the classic J.M. Barrie play Peter Pan.
Even though the play first premiered in 1904 and the novel was published in 1911, Peter Pan’s entry into the public domain has been delayed because of a technicality.


Photo: Disney
The play’s script was not “published” for copyright purposes until 1928. This pushed back its copyright expiration until 2024.


Photo: Disney
While Peter, Wendy, John, and Michael are not in the public domain, it is only the original versions of the characters that are free to use. Later adaptations, such as the famous Disney animated film, remain protected under copyright law.
Other Notable Additions to the Public Domain
Other notable additions to the public domain in 2024 include the song “Mack the Knife,” Charlie Chaplin’s film The Circus, and “Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love)” by Cole Porter.


Photo: Roger Ebert
As time progresses, more and more familiar songs, characters, and films will enter the public domain. How companies like Disney manage this new reality will be one of the pressing questions going forward.
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