Popeye the Sailor, created by Elzie Crisler Segar, is now public domain. Popeye is among a slew of 1929 characters and works, as well as 1924 sound recordings, that entered the public domain on January 1, 2025. These include more Mickey Mouse cartoons and Disney’s “The Skeleton Dance.” Popeye debuted in the daily King Features … Read more
Steamboat Willie will soon enter the horror genre, as a horror film starring Steamboat Willie has been announced by director, Steven LaMorte. As of January 1, 2024, Mickey Mouse in his Steamboat Willie form is officially part of the public domain, and creators are wasting no time giving the 1928 character their own spin. According … Read more
On January 1, 2024, “Steamboat Willie,” and consequently the characters of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, will enter the public domain. In the past, Disney pushed for extended copyright laws to keep Mickey under their control, but they have finally given up and are letting the mice — at least as they first appeared — free. A … Read more