The copyright on Mickey Mouse expires today, meaning The Walt Disney Company no longer has the exclusive rights to the character. Does this mean you can put Mickey in your own cartoon? Not exactly.

Mickey Mouse might seem the most unlikely character to ensnare viewers in a horror flick, but an expiration in copyright protection means an early version of the Disney mascot will stalk film screens.

In just a few short days, an early version of Disney’s most iconic character will join the public domain for the first time. For nearly a century, the image of Mickey Mouse has been married to the ...

Some versions of Mickey are still under copyright protection. Here’s the lowdown on what’s fair game and what isn’t. Technically, later versions of Mickey are still under copyright, but you have some ...