‘Willie is free and he wants his Steamboat back’
A trailer for a Mickey Mouse horror film has been released after the earliest version of the iconic Disney character entered the public domain after 95 years.
On January 1, 2024, the copyright on 1928 film Steamboat Willie ran out, meaning the first animated incarnations of Micky Mouse and Minnie Mouse can be used by anyone in the US without fear of copyright infringement.
And just like when Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain in 2022, Mickey is set to become the latest children’s character to enter the world of horror.
On Tuesday, the first trailer for The Return of Steamboat Willie was released.
The film’s very short synopsis reads: “After 95 years of being locked away, Willie is free and he wants his Steamboat back.”
The upcoming film will be created in Unreal Engine by Fewture Studios, and has been written by Joe Smith, who also directed it alongside Kai Henry and TxREK.
This is the second Mickey Mouse horror to be announced since the character entered the public domain, after a slasher film was announced on New Year’s Day.
But it doesn’t sound like anyone is particularly keen for The Return of Steamboat Willie, or expects it to be any good, which is perhaps not surprising after how badly Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey was received (3 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, in case you wondered).
Reacting to the trailer, one person wrote: “All these creators waited for Mickey to be public domain, all so they could do absolutely nothing worthwhile with him.”
Another said: “Is horror all anyone knows to do with Steamboat Willie?”
A third added: “At this point it’d be more original to make a non-horror adaptation of Steamboat Willie.”
There was some slightly positive feedback though, with one person commenting: “Well at least this horror one actually takes advantage of the fact the cartoon is on a boat.”
As of yet, there is no release date for The Return of Steamboat Willie.
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