> What would this mean for usage of the Mickey Mouse character? Would people be free to use images from the older cartoons in new work? What about more recent u

> What would this mean for usage of the Mickey Mouse character? Would people be free to use images from the older cartoons in new work? What about more recent updates to the character's design? Copyright protects the exact expression, but not the general concept. Mickey Mouse is already protected under trademark law, so while Steamboat Willie entering the public domain means you could redistribute that particular film, you wouldn't necessarily be able to do a lot else with the character without infringing on an established mark of Disney.