Posted 1/3/2024, 9:59:00 PM
Mickey Mouse's Steamboat Willie Enters Public Domain in 2024, Spawns NFTs and Meme Coin
- On January 1, 2024, the first Mickey Mouse image ("Steamboat Willie") entered public domain
- An NFT collection of the "Steamboat Willie" image was launched, limited to 2,000 tokens at $2 each
- A Mickey Mouse-themed meme coin was also launched on the Ethereum blockchain
- Only the early Mickey depictions are public domain; modern versions remain under Disney copyright
- Disney still holds a trademark on the Mickey Mouse image and will try to prevent consumer confusion