A 1928 movie featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse enters public domain on Jan. 1. But creative and commercial access to the character is complicated by both copyright and trademark law.

Within a week of Mickey Mouse entering public domain, we've seen three horror movies announced, multiple video games and a surprisingly respectful comic.

A 1928 movie featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse enters public domain on Jan. 1. But creative and commercial access to the character is complicated by both copyright and trademark law.

The characters of Steamboat Willie and Winnie-the-Pooh have been swiftly scooped up by horror filmmakers, looking to find a darker edge to the kid-friendly nostalgic icons.

A 1928 movie featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse enters public domain on Jan. 1. But creative and commercial access to the character is complicated by both copyright and trademark law.

The original 1928 script for Disney's Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon to star Mickey Mouse. An early Walt Disney movie featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse is among the copyrighted works ...

A 1928 movie featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse enters public domain on Jan. 1. But creative and commercial access to the character is complicated by both copyright and trademark law.