Remove 2024 Remove Designs Remove Public Domain Remove Registering Trademarks
article thumbnail

The Importance of Trademark Protection When Copyrighted Works Enter the Public Domain

Corsearch

The copyright for one of the first depictions of Mickey Mouse will expire in 2024. Looking at the clip of Oswald below, you can clearly see elements of the character in Mickey’s modern design. Why Mickey Mouse is still protected The copyright on Steamboat Willie is set to expire in January 2024. So, why aren’t Disney concerned?

article thumbnail

Free Mickey? (Don’t Be Goofy)

LexBlog IP

January 1, 2024, brought numerous hangovers along with an unprecedented amount of media attention to intellectual property law. Freed from the shackles of copyright, Walt Disney’s iconic rodent was now in the public domain and, therefore, available for everyone to copy. But not so fast.