‘Mickey’s Mouse Trap’: Everything to Know About the Steamboat Willie Horror Film

The trailer features a sinister version of the famous Disney character now that “Steamboat Willie” has become public domain.

No one in their right mind saw a killer Mickey Mouse coming — but lo and behold, it happened. The trailer for Mickey’s Mouse Trap dropped at the start of 2024, and it features Disney’s original “Steamboat Willie” cartoon character that recently became public domain. A handful of fairytale and cartoon-inspired horror movies came out in 2023, including Winnie-the-Pooh; Blood and Honey and Cinderella’s Curse. 

Find out everything we know about the all-new Mickey Mouse-inspired horror movie below. 

What Is ‘Mickey’s Mouse Trap’ About? 

Per IMDb, the film’s longline reads, “It’s Alex’s 21st Birthday, but she’s stuck at the amusement arcade on a late shift, so her friends decide to surprise her, but a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse decides to play a game of his own with them which she must survive.”

The villain wears a mask that takes after the 1928 Steamboat Willie version of Mickey rather than more modern iterations of the character. 

Affixed to the trailer posted to YouTube by actor and screenwriter Simone Phillips is a disclaimer about the flick, which reads, “THIS IS NOT A DISNEY FILM OR PRODUCTION. IT IS NOT AFFILIATED OR ENDORSED BY DISNEY IN ANY WAY. This film makes use of Public domain Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse only. Steamboat Willie’s Mickey Mouse entered public domain on January 1st 2024.” 

When Does the Mickey Mouse Horror Movie Come Out? 

According to multiple outlets, the film is expected to premiere in March 2024. An official release date has not been unveiled yet. 

‘Mickey Mouse Trap’ Trailer Reveals the Setting

The beginning of the trailer reveals an amusement park backdrop, where the group of friends are celebrating Alex’s birthday. 

One of the most eerie scenes in the teaser is when the camera pans to the original Disney poster that reads, “Mickey Mouse as Steamboat Willie,” while the black-and-white movie plays out on a projector. Then, the masked killer strikes as one of the characters tries to get her friend’s attention. 

The trailer also teases viewers that this is a “place for fun” and a “place for friends,” seemingly nodding to the innocence of Mickey Mouse. The full video concludes with, “The mouse is out.” 

What Did Disney Say About the Steamboat Willie Horror Film? 

Mickey’s Mouse Trap didn’t miss a beat when Disney lost the copyright to its Steamboat Willie Mickey at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2024. In response to the film news, a Walt Disney Company spokesperson submitted a statement, via Deadline. 

“More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions and merchandise,” the representative explained. “We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright, and we will work to safeguard against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey and our other iconic characters.”