Public domain Mickey Mouse is already being used to create controversial memes

2024 is only a few days old and we've already been treated to one of the best memes of the year - one that is likely to run and run.

No, we're not talking about darts sensation Luke Littler but Mickey Mouse, or should we say Steamboat Willie, entering the public domain after the copyright on the 1928 animation ran out.

Disney did manage to retain the copyright on the Mickey Mouse character itself but couldn't maintain their grip on Steamboat Willie meaning that the earlier incarnation of the mouse is now available for anyone to do what they want with it.

Inevitably there is already a horror movie on the way, a video game and he's already been turned into a crypto coin but of course, the internet just couldn't wait to start making memes, some in very bad taste.

Many of the memes seem to have been made purely to mock Disney as they can no longer do anything regardless of how distasteful the jokes might be.

Some have pointed out that Disney did already make their own disturbing version of Mickey in the short 1995 film Runaway Brain so some of these memes are hardly that creative.

We'll have to see what will become of Mickey this year but we are certainly hoping for something a bit more creative than just dark jokes and controversy.

dsa