Copyright Countdown: Universally Loved Disney Characters Under Threat

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is a parody of the out-of-copyright Winnie the Pooh character.
Parodies of Bambi and Mickey Mouse are expected to follow.

Last year, Winnie the Pooh suffered hardships after its copyright expired and was adapted into a horror film. In addition, the copyrights of other Disney characters, such as Bambi and Mickey Mouse, will soon expire.

In March of last year, the horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey was released, shocking fans worldwide. The character, loved for its yellow fur and round personality, transformed into a completely different murderous character in the horror film. According to U.S. copyright law, since it has been 95 years since the original fairy tale book was published, Winnie the Pooh could be twisted into a terrifying version without Disney’s permission.

Jagged Edge Productions

The baby deer Bambi also had its copyright expired last year and is being remade. It has been revealed that a movie called Bambi: The Reckoning will feature the cute and innocent Bambi turning into a killing machine. Disney’s mascot, Mickey Mouse, will also have its copyright expire on January 1st of next year.

Of course, the expiration of the original copyright does not mean that it can be used indiscriminately. The end of the copyright only applies to the appearance of the character published 95 years ago, and the copyright of the redesigned character after that remains valid. For example, the version of Winnie the Pooh wearing a red shirt and Mickey Mouse wearing white gloves still receives protection under copyright law.

However, many Disney fans are concerned that characters that children around the world grow up with will be indiscriminately adapted and become victims of the destruction of innocence.