While it may only be one specific version of Mickey Mouse, Steamboat Willie's arrival into the public domain seems to be delighting a number of fans and major entities. Conversely, The Walt Disney Company may not be pleased that horror movies and video games that utilize the iconic mascot's likeness can now be made. It's honestly been interesting to see the ways in which the character has been used thus far. On that note, Adult Swim exercised its right to use the character via a recent bumper and did so in a somewhat NSFW way.
Adult Swim is the brand that allowed Rick and Morty's wildly disturbing spaghetti episode to air. So it's hardly surprising that it would have a character doing something lewd during the late hours of programming. What is way more surprising is that the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network decided to take a potshot at Disney by featuring an image of Mickey Mouse kissing and humping some text that read "Public Domain Bitch." Take a look at the advert, which can be seen below:
Adult Swim's having fun with Steamboat Willie: pic.twitter.com/Hs8VTw3fn9January 8, 2024
Now, this isn't quite as extreme as some of the acts that South Park had Mickey Mouse perform in its pandemic special, but it's still a pretty bold on Adult Swim's part. While it seems a lot of creators out there are exercising caution in making sure they don't draw the eye of Disney's legal team, the network went there without too much worry, it seems. Granted, it's possible that the bumper was cleared by some legal counsel ahead of its airing. Still, the company had to know that it would capture people's attention.
I'd also be surprised if Adult Swim continues to poke the bear by featuring the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse on its platform. But perhaps we'll see him pop up in Season 8 of Rick and Morty or Aqua Teen Hunger Force?
And while I'm sure the Mouse House would sooner have people watching videos of Mickey surprising kids at Disney World or that awesome Once Upon A Studio short, who is really getting the last laugh? Sure, the company may not have full control of how people use the earliest version of its mascot, but Mickey will now have more exposure in the horror genre and other arenas. With that, audiences who weren't digesting related content otherwise might see him. Then again, Disney isn't getting paid for such promotion so, overall, this is an intriguing situation.
It's intriguing to consider just how this situation might continue to pan out as time goes on. What can be said right now, though, is that we won't be viewing any of these "alternative" creative endeavors with a Disney+ subscription. If you're like me, then chances are you'll continue to keep your eyes peeled as Steamboat Willie continues to make the rounds while he's in the public domain.
Adult Swim airs its programming block on Cartoon Network nightly, with programming beginning on weekdays at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tune in, and you might just see Mickey Mouse on one of its adverts, assuming the network doesn't run into any trouble for using the character.
