Unleashing Steamboat Willie's Dark Side: Early Mickey Mouse Haunts Horror Films
Breaking
free from Disney's copyright shackles on Monday, the iconic character from
Steamboat Willie is now taking center stage in the eerie world of horror
cinema. Mere hours after the 1928 short entered the public domain, YouTube
witnessed the release of the trailer for "Mickey’s Mouse Trap."
Another unnamed film, set to delve into the darker side of early Mickey Mouse,
was unveiled on Tuesday.
"Steamboat
Willie" showcased the initial renditions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse,
directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. This third cartoon collaboration marked
their debut release, portraying a more menacing Mickey, resembling a rat more
than a mouse, steering a boat and crafting musical instruments from other
animals.
In an
uncanny twist of fate, the initial projects revolving around this newly
liberated character take the form of seemingly low-budget and campy slasher
movies—a trend not entirely unprecedented. Winnie the Pooh, sans his signature
red shirt, stepped into the public domain in 2022, and within a year, embarked
on a blood-soaked adventure in the microbudget film "Winnie the Pooh:
Blood and Honey."
The trailer
for "Mickey’s Mouse Trap," helmed by director Jamie Bailey, unfolds
with what appears to be a human donning a comically small Mickey mask,
terrorizing a group of young people at an arcade.
"‘A
place for fun. A place for friends. A place for hunting,’" declares the
text flashing on the screen during the trailer. The mouse is on the loose.
Director
Jamie Bailey commented, "We just wanted to have fun with it all. I mean,
it’s Steamboat Willie’s Mickey Mouse murdering people. It’s ridiculous. We ran
with it and had fun doing it, and I think it shows." No release date has
been confirmed for the film.
The second
film, spearheaded by director Steven LaMorte, previously known for a horror
parody of The Grinch, aptly titled "The Mean One," not in the public
domain, takes the audience on a harrowing journey during a late-night boat ride
turned desperate fight for survival in New York City.
"Steamboat
Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies
a potential for pure, unhinged terror," LaMorte stated in a release. The
movie, still in pre-production, is yet to receive a title.
With the
expiration of the 95-year copyright, the public gains access only to the
initial versions of Mickey and Minnie—not the more familiar character designs.
Disney
asserted, "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."
LaMorte,
acknowledging the legal complexities, mentioned that the producers are
diligently working with a legal team to avoid any conflicts with Disney. Their
cautious approach involves referring to their raging rodent as Steamboat Willie
instead of Mickey Mouse.
"We
are doing our due diligence to make sure there’s no question or confusion about
what we’re up to," he emphasized in an interview with Variety.
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