Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
01-03-24 | 02:36 PM
#26
DVD Talk Godfather
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Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
^ Truth
3 Solos each THEN a Team up. Figure about 10 - 15 years for that Team up...
3 Solos each THEN a Team up. Figure about 10 - 15 years for that Team up...
01-03-24 | 03:02 PM
#27
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
That certainly is THE formula for horror movies, no doubt. Although, aside from the lack of originality, I’d bet that those types of movies fail more than they succeed.
They might as well have.
They might as well have.
01-03-24 | 03:29 PM
#28
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
Another film announced: https://variety.com/2024/film/news/s...ht-1235849861/
First there was “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.”
Now, get ready for “Steamboat Willie” horror films.
The 1928 version of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain on Monday, and indie horror producers are wasting no time in capitalizing on it.
Steven LaMorte is set to direct an untitled horror-comedy based on Mickey’s cartoon debut. In it, a sadistic mouse will torment a group of unsuspecting ferry passengers. Production is set to begin in the spring.
“Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” LaMorte said in a press release. “It’s a project I’ve been dreaming of, and I can’t wait to unleash this twisted take on this beloved character to the world.”
LaMorte previously directed “The Mean One,” a horror parody of the Grinch.
“It all comes from our love of these characters,” he said in an interview. “Filmmakers — we’re all kids in the sandbox. We love taking them and playing with them in different ways. It’s not a desire to ruin these characters or make a quick buck, but to love them and honor them and show them in a new light.”
Disney‘s copyright to “Steamboat Willie” expired Monday along with its right to the original versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. But it still holds copyrights for the later, more familiar versions of the characters.
Disney has said that it will also be vigilant in defending its trademarks. The company could sue over any perceived endorsement or affiliation with its brand.
“We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters,” the company said in a statement last month.
LaMorte said the producers are working with a legal team to make sure they stay well within the law.
“We are doing our due diligence to make sure there’s no question or confusion of what we’re up to,” he said. “This is our version of a public domain character. It’s a scary thrill ride with heart and humor, based on this character that everybody knows.”
In the film, the character will not even be called “Mickey Mouse.” Instead, he will go by “Steamboat Willie.”
“The Mean One” came out in 2022 and grossed about $1 million in theaters worldwide. The producers on that film — LaMorte, Amy Schumacher, and Martine Melloul — are teaming up with Steven Della Salla and Michael Leavy, producers of “Terrifier 2,” which grossed $15 million.
The announcement follows the release on Monday of a trailer for “Mickey’s Mouse Trap,” another public domain horror-comedy directed by Jamie Bailey. That one, which is set an amusement arcade, appears to already have been shot. In a press release, the filmmakers said they don’t have a release date yet, but expect it to be out sometime in March.
Now, get ready for “Steamboat Willie” horror films.
The 1928 version of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain on Monday, and indie horror producers are wasting no time in capitalizing on it.
Steven LaMorte is set to direct an untitled horror-comedy based on Mickey’s cartoon debut. In it, a sadistic mouse will torment a group of unsuspecting ferry passengers. Production is set to begin in the spring.
“Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” LaMorte said in a press release. “It’s a project I’ve been dreaming of, and I can’t wait to unleash this twisted take on this beloved character to the world.”
LaMorte previously directed “The Mean One,” a horror parody of the Grinch.
“It all comes from our love of these characters,” he said in an interview. “Filmmakers — we’re all kids in the sandbox. We love taking them and playing with them in different ways. It’s not a desire to ruin these characters or make a quick buck, but to love them and honor them and show them in a new light.”
Disney‘s copyright to “Steamboat Willie” expired Monday along with its right to the original versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. But it still holds copyrights for the later, more familiar versions of the characters.
Disney has said that it will also be vigilant in defending its trademarks. The company could sue over any perceived endorsement or affiliation with its brand.
“We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters,” the company said in a statement last month.
LaMorte said the producers are working with a legal team to make sure they stay well within the law.
“We are doing our due diligence to make sure there’s no question or confusion of what we’re up to,” he said. “This is our version of a public domain character. It’s a scary thrill ride with heart and humor, based on this character that everybody knows.”
In the film, the character will not even be called “Mickey Mouse.” Instead, he will go by “Steamboat Willie.”
“The Mean One” came out in 2022 and grossed about $1 million in theaters worldwide. The producers on that film — LaMorte, Amy Schumacher, and Martine Melloul — are teaming up with Steven Della Salla and Michael Leavy, producers of “Terrifier 2,” which grossed $15 million.
The announcement follows the release on Monday of a trailer for “Mickey’s Mouse Trap,” another public domain horror-comedy directed by Jamie Bailey. That one, which is set an amusement arcade, appears to already have been shot. In a press release, the filmmakers said they don’t have a release date yet, but expect it to be out sometime in March.
01-03-24 | 03:48 PM
#29
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
01-03-24 | 06:37 PM
#30
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
Have to admit, Kaufman's version made me laugh. A version by Troma might even be closer in comedic spirit to the originals, albeit presumably no less gory or gross than these horror cash-ins.
01-03-24 | 07:56 PM
#31
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
Movie looks like garbage and unless they change the title and some of the shots, they will be facing some legal action.
01-03-24 | 08:34 PM
#32
DVD Talk Hero
01-04-24 | 11:09 AM
#33
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
Ever since the trailer dropped, something beyond the obvious ineptitude kept bugging me about this film: the all-white, never-will-be performers you’ve never heard of with nary an Eric Roberts in sight; the utter lack of a sense of visual style beyond lighting filters; the suburban blandness of wherever they shot it; the unnerving cleanliness of everything except Mickey’s mask.
Then this article today cleared it all up for me.
It’s Canadian.
So, on behalf of my fellow hosers on this site, I humbly apologize. We’ll understand if you want to build a wall again.
This comment from the director all but guarantees I’ll be watching it for free if I watch it at all, or for a couple bucks from the Pacific Mall bootleg joint.
Then this article today cleared it all up for me.
It’s Canadian.
So, on behalf of my fellow hosers on this site, I humbly apologize. We’ll understand if you want to build a wall again.
"There seems to be, you know, a market for people that want to hate this kind of stuff. And it doesn't matter. Just, if you watch the movie — if you pay to watch the movie — then, yeah, that's all we want."
Last edited by Brian T; 01-04-24 at 11:17 AM.
01-04-24 | 04:17 PM
#34
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
You're welcome, America.
I just realized that besides Mickey and Minnie, much more obscure Disney characters Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow and Pete (aka Black Pete, Peg Leg Pete) are also now public domain (although the former two weren't officially named until later cartoons). I imagine Oswald the Rabbit is good to use now as well.
I just realized that besides Mickey and Minnie, much more obscure Disney characters Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow and Pete (aka Black Pete, Peg Leg Pete) are also now public domain (although the former two weren't officially named until later cartoons). I imagine Oswald the Rabbit is good to use now as well.
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Brian T (01-04-24)
01-04-24 | 05:44 PM
#35
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
01-04-24 | 08:09 PM
#36
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
Cool — I had no idea! I better get cracking on my screenplay about a guy dressed as a dapper British spy slaughtering teenagers in an abandoned but strangely clean casino!
01-05-24 | 02:14 PM
#37
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
I really don't think that all of these things like Steamboat Willy, Action Comics #1, Detective Comics #27, and other properties slipping into the public domain will have much impact on anything while trademarks are still in effect outside of anyone being able to reproduce the public domain stories.
I look to Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (the novels, not the Gary Oldman and Robert De Niro movies).
The novels are in the public domain, which means that can be freely reproduced, published, or adapted. Neither Stoker nor Shelley had any kind of trademark on the characters they created.
Which means I can publish my own editions of those novels, upload/download legally, make my own adaptions/sequels/spin-offs of those novels in any media, or use the characters in my own works. The only exceptions would be that I could not republish or otherwise use versions of those characters that are trademarked or copyrighted by others, like Universal's Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff versions of those stories and characters.
Mickey Mouse, Superman, and Batman are characters created in visual mediums, and they are trademarked, so just dropping Steamboat Willy or Action Comics #1 into the public domain doesn't necessarily give anyone the license to use those characters in any way they see fit since things like Mickey's ears, Superman's costume, and Batman's bat logo are still under trademark and I would expect those trademarks will be defended vigorously. When Action Comics #1 goes into the public domain, I really doubt that Marvel will stick the character into The Avengers in any media.
What I do think will be interesting is when The Hobbit goes into the public domain. Will we see a flood of sequel novels come out? Movies featuring the further adventures of Bilbo Baggins and Elrond? Any elements and characters from Tolkien's other works like The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales would still be off-limits, but there are still some six decades between The Hobbit and LOTR.
This would seem to get sticky as the Tolkien Estate has the term Hobbit trademarked (which is why fantasy games that use Hobbit-like characters are referred to by other terms like "halflings.") and other elements from his stories, as well as the Tolkien name.
I'm not sure how well-tested the legality of using public domain but still under trademark characters is, and I don't think it has really been tested with something as iconic as Mickey Mouse or Superman. Most of the older stories from the 19th century that have become public domain weren't under the kinds of trademark protection that more modern things are, and Mickey Mouse and the various Marvel and DC superhero characters are the first generation of original characters to have mass-media penetration.
I look to Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (the novels, not the Gary Oldman and Robert De Niro movies).
The novels are in the public domain, which means that can be freely reproduced, published, or adapted. Neither Stoker nor Shelley had any kind of trademark on the characters they created.
Which means I can publish my own editions of those novels, upload/download legally, make my own adaptions/sequels/spin-offs of those novels in any media, or use the characters in my own works. The only exceptions would be that I could not republish or otherwise use versions of those characters that are trademarked or copyrighted by others, like Universal's Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff versions of those stories and characters.
Mickey Mouse, Superman, and Batman are characters created in visual mediums, and they are trademarked, so just dropping Steamboat Willy or Action Comics #1 into the public domain doesn't necessarily give anyone the license to use those characters in any way they see fit since things like Mickey's ears, Superman's costume, and Batman's bat logo are still under trademark and I would expect those trademarks will be defended vigorously. When Action Comics #1 goes into the public domain, I really doubt that Marvel will stick the character into The Avengers in any media.
What I do think will be interesting is when The Hobbit goes into the public domain. Will we see a flood of sequel novels come out? Movies featuring the further adventures of Bilbo Baggins and Elrond? Any elements and characters from Tolkien's other works like The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales would still be off-limits, but there are still some six decades between The Hobbit and LOTR.
This would seem to get sticky as the Tolkien Estate has the term Hobbit trademarked (which is why fantasy games that use Hobbit-like characters are referred to by other terms like "halflings.") and other elements from his stories, as well as the Tolkien name.
I'm not sure how well-tested the legality of using public domain but still under trademark characters is, and I don't think it has really been tested with something as iconic as Mickey Mouse or Superman. Most of the older stories from the 19th century that have become public domain weren't under the kinds of trademark protection that more modern things are, and Mickey Mouse and the various Marvel and DC superhero characters are the first generation of original characters to have mass-media penetration.
01-05-24 | 02:21 PM
#38
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
I'm struggling to think of how the Hobbit would be commercialized if you can't use the term hobbit or anything related to the later books. Like at that point just make up your own D&D inspired stuff. Same with something like Superman and Batman, they are archetypes at this point that have been used to inspire endless imitations so if you can only use the base concept and not the actual costumed character, well, they do that now, heck DC has several pastiches of their own characters themselves.
01-05-24 | 04:10 PM
#39
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
Yeah, I kinda think we are in new territory here, with characters from visual mediums like movies, cartoons and comics entering the public domain rather than literary characters. It will be interesting to watch over the next ten years as more iconic characters technically become PD.
03-20-25 | 04:08 PM
#40
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Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
03-20-25 | 05:21 PM
#41
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
Looks like they’re pushing the Disney stuff as hard as they can without crossing the legal line. The Disney Princess names made me chuckle.
This could also be hilariously bad ifMickey Willie is supposed to be tiny.
The Disney Princess names made me chuckle. This could also be hilariously bad if
03-20-25 | 11:16 PM
#42
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Mickey's Mouse Trap (2024) -- Steamboat Willie Mickey horror movie
