Morgan & Morgan Drops “Steamboat Willie” Lawsuit Against Disney

Mickey Mouse has narrowly avoided another courtroom battle, as Morgan & Morgan quietly drops its lawsuit against Disney over “Steamboat Willie.”

What’s Happening:

• In a surprising twist, powerhouse law firm Morgan & Morgan has quietly withdrawn its federal lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company over the use of “Steamboat Willie,” the 1928 short film that introduced the world to Mickey Mouse.
• We covered the news on the case as it was filed in September. The suit accused Disney of refusing to provide written assurance that it wouldn’t sue Morgan & Morgan if the firm used the black-and-white version of Mickey in an upcoming advertisement. 
• The issue stems from “Steamboat Willie” officially entering the public domain in 2024, ending nearly a century of copyright protection that Disney fought hard to extend.
• That extension came through the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, commonly nicknamed the “Mickey Mouse Act,” which lengthened copyright protection to 95 years after publication, a move widely seen as Disney’s effort to keep its iconic mascot under lock and key for as long as possible.
• At the time of filing, attorney John Morgan didn’t mince words, calling Disney’s stance “ridiculous” and vowing to take the matter “to the Supreme Court if necessary.
• Now, just weeks later, the case has been voluntarily dismissed. The notice filed Wednesday offered no explanation for the sudden retreat, and court records show minimal legal activity before the withdrawal.
• Whether this marks the end of the legal saga or just a temporary ceasefire in the battle over Mickey’s legacy remains to be seen.
  

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