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First trailer for controversial Mickey Mouse slasher film has landed - and Disney isn't happy

It's a landmark year for the mouse - and sounds just as

First trailer for controversial Mickey Mouse slasher film has landed - and Disney isn't happy

By Danielle de Wolfe

02 January 2024

Prepare for blood – and plenty of it, as the first trailer for one of the most controversial films of 2024 drops online.

Marking a milestone for Mickey, this first-of-its-kind film takes advantage of a lapse in copyright where the much-loved children's character is concerned.

A must-watch for fans of the slasher genre, the new indie flick, entitled Mickey Mouse's Trap, has harnessed a US law which means character copyright transfers into the public domain after 95 years.

Each year, January 1 sees a new wave of classic characters released from the constraints of intellectual property law, meaning the characters can now be used by anybody.

Put simply, the first incarnation of Mickey Mouse can now be used in whatever way the public chooses.

Cue a slew of Mouse-related content heading your way.

The premise sees a group of teens terrorised by the killer mask inside an amusement park - complete with exaggerated slasher knife, plenty of blood and giant Mickey Mouse mask for good measure.

The trailer also sees the words “a place for fun, a place for friends, a place for hunting. The mouse is out.” emblazoned across our screens.

The film harnesses Steamboat Willie's version of Mickey Mouse – the older incarnation of the character, which entered public domain on January 1, 2024.

Later versions of Mickey Mouse, as we know and love him today, remain under trademark meaning they can’t yet be used in such a way.

Released in 1928, Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie is the first documented appearance of both Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

Needless to say, the film’s release has ruffled a few feathers over at Disney – particularly given the release has nothing to do with the filmmaking giant.

As if to distance themselves from the studio, the teaser for the indie flick is accompanied by the caption: “DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT NOT A DISNEY FILM OR PRODUCTION. IT IS NOT TO AFFILIATED OR ENDORSED BY DISNEY IN ANY WAY. This film makes use of Public domain Steam Boat Willie Mickey Mouse only.”

Starring Sophie McIntosh, Callum Sywyk, Allegra Nocita, Ben Harris, Damir Kovic, Mackenzie Mills and Nick Biskupek and Simon Phillips, the slasher is produced by by Paul Whitney, Mark Popejoy, Alexander Gausman and Andrew Agopsowicz.

The trailer was posted to YouTube by actor Simon Phillips, with director Jamie Bailey adding: “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.”

The release follows last year’s horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, which was made possible after the law allowed A.A. Milne’s original Winnie the Pooh to entered the public domain.

Poised for release in March 2024 release, the first trailer dropped on New Year's Day – and we’re already rubbing our hands with anticipation.