Disney Faces Lawsuit Over Public Domain Status Of Mickey Mouse In Steamboat Willie Ad

A lawsuit has been filed against Disney by the US personal injury law firm Morgan & Morgan over its use of Mickey Mouse. This comes even as Disney continues to enforce its intellectual property rights on characters from Steamboat Willie, the first animated short featuring Mickey Mouse that entered the public domain in 2024.

Morgan & Morgan had planned a nationwide advertising campaign featuring the character, but faced resistance from Disney’s legal team. The company is now seeking a court order stating that its commercial does not infringe on Disney’s rights.

In 2024, the original 1928 cartoon Steamboat Willie entered the public domain, opening the door for parodies and reinterpretations of Disney’s iconic character. Films like the horror parody Screamboat, starring David Howard Thornton, were allowed without legal challenge, reflecting Disney’s tolerance for creative adaptations.

But the company has drawn a line when it comes to commercial use, stating that public domain status for the cartoon does not equate to free rein over its trademarks.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, earlier Disney filed lawsuits against Morgan & Morgan and jewellery brand, Sateur. The legal action concerns their use of Mickey Mouse’s Steamboat Willie appearance. Disney says that these uses violate its trademark rights.

Morgan & Morgan used the characters in a commercial depicting Mickey crashing a steamboat into Minnie’s car, which then prompts her to call the law firm. While the ad clarifies it is not associated with Disney, the company maintains that exploiting the character for marketing purposes crosses legal boundaries.

Sateur, on the other hand, reportedly tried to sell merchandise featuring Steamboat Willie Mickey as if it were official Disney products. Complaints from consumers claimed the accessories were low quality and misleadingly marketed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In the complaint, Disney contends that the expiry of Steamboat Willie’s copyright does not permit competitors to violate its trademarks, which safeguard the brand. The company added that it generates significant revenue by licencing Mickey Mouse for merchandise, including jewellery.

Mickey Mouse made his debut in 1928 with Steamboat Willie, initially receiving 56 years of copyright protection. As the copyright approached expiry in 1984, Disney lobbied to extend the corporate ownership to 75 years. Later, in 1998, a law further extended copyrights for corporate works to 95 years, delaying Steamboat Willie’s public domain entry until 2024.