Why Mickey’s Mouse Trap, The Steamboat Willie Horror Movie Might Not Make It To Screens

It’s barely 2024, and the public domain is already offering up treats in the way of Mickey Mouse’s predecessor. Steamboat Willie, a black-and-white shadow of the looming rodent that would one day delight children and con parents into spending oodles and oodles of money, is getting a horror remake.

The strange subgenre that began as a curiosity with Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey and gave us the holiday-inspired The Mean One is back again with Mickey’s Mouse Trap. The low-budget film written by Simon Phillips and directed by Jaime Bailey dropped just minutes after the character was released into the public domain. The trailer, which mixes several different pieces from films like Scream and 5 Nights At Freddy’s, does not take itself too seriously, nor should we. It’s all about the absurdity and perversity of turning our childhood dreams into adult nightmares.

Although the trailer definitely leans into comedy, the visual of a Mickey-esque masked madman wearing a blank hockey sweater is surprisingly arresting. I’ll admit I had a completely different idea for Steamboat Willie. I was hoping for a monochromatic surreal nightmare, but this one actually looks interesting. The logline goes like this: It’s Alex’s 21st Birthday, but she’s stuck at the amusement arcade on a late shift, so her friends decide to surprise her, but a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse decides to play a game of his own with them which she must survive. Watch the trailer here.

The killer looks scary enough, and the setting is fun. Mickey’s Mouse Trap has all the makings of an entertaining and campy slasher. The mask has a sinister grin, and that blank jersey is weird. Why does he have a blank sweater? I didn’t even know you could buy them that way. There’s all the standard slow-walking stalking, head-tip taunting, oblivious victims, and jump scares. It looks amusing, if not groundbreaking. If Blood and Honey is anything to gauge by, Mickey’s Mouse Trap will make money.

It is true that Steamboat Willie is open for public use. That doesn’t mean this movie will ever make it to viewers. Disney is famously litigious, and putting the name Mickey in the title wakes the sleeping mouse. The company is taking the stance that although the earliest iteration of the beloved cartoon slipped into public hands, it will take all necessary steps to safeguard against later versions of the character’s use as well as “consumer confusion,” according to a Disney spokesperson printed in Deadline today.

That is the part that spells particular doom for the Mickey movie. It would be sketchy enough with the slightly warped Mickey mask to be used by the would-be slasher, but like Pooh before him, there probably were sufficient differences to protect against the dread confusion clause. However, putting Mickey instead of Steamboat Willie in the title ups the ante significantly. Additionally, displaying Mickey’s name prominently next to the black-and-white video of Steamboat Willy adds fuel to the fire. Although few should be tricked into thinking Disney had anything to do with Mickey’s Mouse Trap, it is possible which makes the mouse dust off his suit and tie. It is only a matter of time before lawsuits drop and trailers are taken down.

This disclaimer is appended to the trailer right now: “DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A DISNEY FILM OR PRODUCTION. IT IS NOT AFFILIATED OR ENDORSED BY DISNEY IN ANY WAY. This film makes use of Public domain Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse only. Steamboat Willie’s Mickey Mouse entered public domain on January 1st, 2024.” It’s doubtful that this little statement will protect the filmmakers, though.

Copyrighted material can be used for parody or satire legally under the doctrine of fair use, but only when the creator does not profit from the product of the materials used. This means we could see the movie, but only if it doesn’t compete commercially with the holder of the copyrighted material. Things get really murky here as no one would ever think Disney would make a version of Mickey Mouse that would be a homicidal hockey player. Still, the amazingly alliterative and clever title clouds the water too much. Does the movie make use of Steamboat Willie as indicated or Mickey Mouse? Why confuse the issue with the title? A lengthy court battle would undoubtedly be expensive, and Disney would almost certainly win.

Although I am always on the side of the underdog, as Adrian points out to Rocky in Rocky 4, “You can’t win.” Disney desperately wants to avoid a nasty court battle that paints it as the corporate leviathan it is. It also really wants to maintain its stranglehold on its IP. The last time they sought a copyright extension for Steamboat Willie, their brand took a significant hit. They successfully continued their control of the rat but didn’t garner any goodwill. No one likes to see creativity squashed or corporate fat cats or mice, in this case, beat the “little guy.”

Back in 1998, parks were overflowing, movies were pumped out, and everyone was happy. In the twenty-six years since, a disastrous new corporate head, a pandemic, and a series of box office flops have marred their image. That’s not even considering the park price hikes and unpopular ticket variations. The court of public opinion will not side with the mouse and its deep pockets, but the official one might. I want to see Mickey’s Mouse Trap. I like the childhood nightmare fuel that has become a subgenre. It’s a way to remake something without rehashing it. Hollywood has gotten lazy, and so many reimaginings are just mulligans in disguise; viewers are hungry for something unique.

Maybe I’ll be wrong, and a lawsuit won’t happen. Perhaps only the title will have to change. That’s the most accessible road to legality. In Mickey’s Mouse Trap’s case, all press is good press. Change the name. Maybe Willie’s Wet Works? It won’t matter. It will still be thought of as the Mickey Mouse horror movie.

Currently, there is no distribution company attached or premier date, so there is plenty of time to work out the legal kinks. Until then, here’s a list of all the best things that have been added and will be added to the public domain that should be turned into horror movies.