Mickey Mouse will soon belong to you and me - with some caveats

Almost a century after his big-screen debut, Mickey Mouse enters the public domain on Jan 1, 2024, opening the floodgates to potential remakes, spin-offs, adaptations ... and legal battles with Disney. The copyright on 'Steamboat Willie' - a short, black-and-white 1928 animation that first introduced audiences to the mischievous rodent - expires on Jan 1, under US law. Photo: AFP

M-I-C-K-E-Y will soon belong to you and me.

With several asterisks, qualification and caveats, Mickey Mouse in his earliest form will be the leader of the band of characters, films and books that will become public domain as the year turns to 2024.