On January 1st, a trailer for a slasher film was unveiled, showcasing a masked killer adorned as Mickey Mouse. This coincided with the expiration of Disney's copyright on the earliest versions of the cartoon character in the US.

The iconic figure of Mickey Mouse, entangled in copyright battles for years, is set to finally enter the public domain as of January 1. This milestone comes after a protracted legal fight over the earliest iterations of the beloved character, marking a significant shift in copyright history.

There is nothing soft and cuddly about the way The Walt Disney Company protects the characters it brings to life.