The trailer for Mickey’s Mouse Trap—also called The Mouse Trap—arrived on January 1, 2024, introducing an indie horror film about a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse. Its early-Mickey hook draws on the U.S. public-domain status of the character’s Steamboat Willie design, not every version of Mickey or the character’s status worldwide.
What is Mickey’s Mouse Trap about?
Directed by Jamie Bailey, the film centers on Alex, who is working a late shift at an amusement arcade on her 21st birthday. Her friends plan a surprise visit, but a masked killer in a Mickey Mouse costume turns the gathering into a fight to survive. The plot was described in the film’s published synopsis and contemporaneous coverage by ClickOnDetroit.
When did the trailer come out?
The trailer was released January 1, 2024, the date the early Steamboat Willie Mickey design entered the U.S. public domain. ClickOnDetroit and The Standard reported on it the following day. It is therefore a 2024 trailer, rather than a new release in 2026.
Why does the film use Mickey Mouse?
The film’s premise capitalizes on the U.S. copyright expiration for the version of Mickey seen in the 1928 short Steamboat Willie. The U.S. Copyright Office says that works published in the United States before January 1, 1931, are in the public domain because their copyright protection has expired. Read the agency’s general copyright guidance for that rule.
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That is a specific U.S. copyright point, not permission to use every Mickey depiction in every country. Later versions of the character remain protected, as The Standard noted in its coverage. The film’s hook is the early design and its public-domain timing.
What did director Jamie Bailey say about the film?
Bailey told Bloody Disgusting: “We just wanted to have fun with it all. I mean it’s Steamboat Willie’s Mickey Mouse murdering people. It’s ridiculous. We ran with it and had fun doing it and I think it shows.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When was the movie released, and on which formats?
Release coverage listed these planned dates. ComingSoon specified the United States and Canada; the reports establish the announced schedule, not current retailer stock or streaming availability.
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| Format | Reported date | Market and source detail |
|---|---|---|
| VOD / digital | August 6, 2024 | Bloody Disgusting reported the planned VOD date; ComingSoon reported digital release in the United States and Canada. |
| DVD and Blu-ray | August 13, 2024 | Bloody Disgusting reported Blu-ray; ComingSoon reported DVD and Blu-ray in the United States and Canada. |
