Mickey Mouse's 1928 persona in "Steamboat Willie" has officially entered the public domain, marking a historic moment in intellectual property history.

This move marks a pivotal milestone, offering the public unrestricted access to the character's original version, which laid the foundation for Mickey's enduring global popularity.

As the beloved character becomes freely accessible after the expiration of the 95-year copyright term, a wave of NFT collections inspired by this early version has emerged.

NFT Frenzy on OpenSea

Following the transition of Steamboat Willie into the public domain, the NFT marketplace, OpenSea, a prominent NFT marketplace, has witnessed a surge in popularity for three distinct NFT collections inspired by this classic iteration of Mickey Mouse:

• "Steamboat Willie Public Domain 2024" Tops Trading Charts with a volume of $1.12 million.
• "Steamboat Willie" Takes Second Place.
• "Steamboat Willie’s Riverboat" Secures Third Spot.

Notably, "Steamboat Willie Public Domain 2024" isn't just leading in trading volume. It also secured the sixth position on OpenSea's 24-hour top charts, rubbing shoulders with popular collections like the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Pudgy Penguins. The "Steamboat Willie" collection clinched the ninth spot on the same list.

Over the past 24 hours, all of these NFTs have become the most trending NFTs on OpenSea.

‍

Disney's Modern Mickey Remains Unaffected

Despite the expiration of copyright for the early Mickey Mouse, Disney emphasizes that this development does not impact the protection of modern character iterations. 

According to a Disney spokesperson, the company will continue to protect its copyright rights in contemporary versions of Mickey Mouse. In the statement, Disney reaffirms its commitment to preventing consumer confusion that may result from the unauthorized use of its iconic characters.