Disney’s Copyright Taunted As ‘Steamboat Willie’ Appears On HBO With John Oliver
Will Mickey Mouse get the Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey treatment? You might get your answer on January 1, 2024, when the classic Steamboat Willie version from 1928 is poised to enter the public domain. Way before that happens, John Oliver is calling first dibs.
On the April 2 episode of HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the talk show host dedicated a full segment to the early Mickey Mouse and intellectual property, throwing doubt about whether the character would lose his copyright. You see, Disney previously fought hard to prolong protection, leading to what is famously known as the 1998 ‘Mickey Mouse Protection Act’.
Oliver surmised that Disney has been cooking up ways to make Steamboat Willie Mickey’s image stick in audiences’ consciousness by featuring the mouse in the Walt Disney Animation Studios opening, which he said “does feel like a tactical move.”
“Basically, they may argue that this early Mickey’s image is so closely associated with their company that people automatically assume that any image of him was produced or authorized by them, and still take legal action,” Oliver claimed.
Disney also unveiled Steamboat Willie-inspired Mickey and Minnie merchandise this year in honor of its 100th anniversary, further cementing the classic Mickey’s role in its evolution.
According to the New York Times, Disney will still retain trademarks on Steamboat Willie even when its copyright expires, which will complicate things. Trademarks don’t lose protection so long as their owners continue doing the paperwork.
All this hasn’t stopped the comedian, who voiced Zazu in Disney’s 2019 live-action Lion King remake, from testing the waters, going so far as to challenge the entertainment behemoth to take legal action against him. “We are staking our claim to Mickey Mouse right now,” he said as he welcomed a “brand-new character on this show”: a carbon-copy of the original Mickey Mouse, previewed in a short animation.
John Oliver Tests Disney’s Lawyers By Staking Claim On Mickey Mouse Ahead Of ‘Steamboat Willie’ Version Entering Public Domain https://t.co/tZPIb90mTX
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) April 3, 2023
Unlike the friendly mouse most are used to, the spoof version was opinionated and didn’t mince his words about politics.
Not-quite-in-the-public-domain-yet-Mickey Mouse: “I hope Henry Kissinger dies soon.”
— Garin Pirnia (@gpirnia) April 3, 2023
John Oliver: “Me, too, Mickey!” #LastWeekTonight pic.twitter.com/wH8aEPTsR5
Oliver noted that while Disney’s attorneys could double down that “this Mickey” was too close for comfort with the one representing its brand, “they should know that he’s pretty closely associated with our brand now too.”
The late-night host further introduced a Steamboat Willie-esque mascot, who declared, “Jeffrey Epstein didn’t kill himself.”
Last night's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver @LastWeekTonight @iamjohnoliver with @NoelMacNeal "helping" Steamboat Willy! #Disney #MickeyMouse pic.twitter.com/BtxVkMFbv6
— Susan Elia MacNeal (@SusanMacNeal) April 3, 2023
Not only that, but Oliver also said Steamboat Willie Mickey had been slipped into his talk show’s opening credits throughout this season.
Per Inside the Magic, though the show has been tempting fate with its overt mockeries of Mickey Mouse, the jokes could be admissible under Parody Law.
Not really related but I love John Oliver trolling Disney on their earlier content becoming public domain next year 🤣ðŸ pic.twitter.com/Mk3vYtspSZ
— Tim (@Jerry_the_mule) April 5, 2023
To be clear, when next year comes around, the Mickey Mouse you see in Disneyland and newer animations will still be protected by copyright. It’s the 1928 version—with the black and white palette, pupil-less eyes, and rat-like nose—whose character design will be freely remixable by anyone when the time is ripe. Will that be in 2024?
[via Vanity Fair, Inside the Magic, Deadline, images via various sources]
