Early Mickey Mouse version becomes top NFT on OpenSea after copyright expires
cointelegraph.com
An NFT collection called “Steamboat Willie Public Domain 2024” recorded $1.2 million in 24-hour trading volume.

Apologies for the shitty source, I couldn’t find a better one.

Steamboat Willie is a public domain film now.

It is also a top NFT.

A $1.2 million trading volume for something that literally anyone can buy, sell, give away, remix, redub, do anything with and not give Disney or anyone else a dime to do so.

Someone please explain the world we’re living in.

    • fsxylo@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      10·
      10 months ago

      Not a lawyer, but:

      Copyright is for specific artwork( the specific animation known as “steamboat Willie”), and trademark is more broadly for brands, icons, or names that are used by the company.(like, “mickey mouse” or “Disney”)

      So you can now project steamboat Willie onto the side of a building, but you probably can’t get away with taking Willie(who pretty much looks like mickey mouse) and make your own movie.