An NFT collection featuring an early version of Walt Disney Company’s Mickey Mouse mascot, presented on the Ethereum network and minted for free on January 1st, has caught the attention of the NFT community. This collection, which showcases a version of Mickey from the 1928 short film “Steamboat Willie,” became the number one trending NFT on the popular marketplace OpenSea after the character’s copyright expired, allowing it to be publicly available for the first time.
The expiration of copyright for this iconic version of Mickey Mouse comes as U.S. laws only protect copyrights for 95 years. Following this, three NFT collections related to the old mascot quickly climbed to the top three spots on OpenSea’s 24-hour trending list. The “Steamboat Willie Public Domain 2024” NFT collection reached the top spot after generating approximately $1.2 million in transaction volume.
In addition to trending on OpenSea, the Steamboat Willie Public Domain 2024 collection also made it to the sixth spot on OpenSea’s 24-hour best lists, joining the ranks of popular collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Pudgy Penguins. Another collection titled “Steamboat Willie” secured the eighth position on the same list.
While the copyright for this version of the popular mascot has ended, Disney has reminded the public that the expiration will not affect the modern versions of Mickey. A Disney spokesperson stated to CNN that the company will continue to protect its rights over the modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other copyrighted works, emphasizing their commitment to prevent consumer confusion arising from unauthorized use of their iconic characters.
The spokesperson declared, “We will work to protect against consumer confusion that might arise from unauthorized use of Mickey and our other iconic characters.” This statement underscores Disney’s ongoing efforts to safeguard its intellectual property rights in the face of the public domain transition of one of its most beloved characters.
The sudden surge in interest and market activity around the Steamboat Willie NFTs highlights the intersection of copyright law and the burgeoning digital collectibles market, as well as the enduring legacy of Disney’s most famous creation.