The expiration of Disney’s copyright on the 1928 animated film “Steamboat Willie” has brought some depictions of Mickey Mouse into the public domain, sparking a tremendous surge in creative possibilities. From fan-created NFT collectibles and AI-powered interpretations to, somewhat unsurprisingly, a gory Hollywood horror flick. Joining the recent wave of iconic cartoon characters getting chilling makeovers, Disney’s beloved Mickey Mouse has taken a sinister turn for the upcoming film Mickey’s Mouse Trap.
Directed by Jamie Baileyan, the new horror film will follow a group of young people in an arcade who are attacked by a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse. According to the official synopsis for the film, “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.”
RELATED: Kendall Roy’s Most Iconic ‘Succession’ Outfits are Up For Grabs
Besides the film’s announcement, we were also treated to a two-minute teaser trailer for Mickey’s Mouse Trap. The trailer broadly teases the film’s premise and also our first look at the menacing figure in a Mickey Mouse costume tormenting people. What initially seems like a fun night out with friends at a carnival takes a deadly turn as the horror Mickey starts stalking and attacking the group.
We also get to see some playful meta winks in the trailer, with one character foreshadowing another killing after casually mentioning an ‘I’ll be right back’ moment. “Well, he’s dead. … If he was in a horror movie, you’d never say, ‘I’ll be right back,’ because then you … don’t,” the guy explains. The trailer ends with the words: “A place for fun, a place for friends, a place for hunting. The mouse is out.”
Talking a bit about the whole project, the movie’s director Jamie Bailey said in an official statement, “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.” The film stars Sophie McIntosh, Callum Sywyk, Allegra Nocita, Ben Harris, Damir Kovic, Mackenzie Mills, Nick Biskupek and Simon Phillips. ‘Mickey’s Mouse Trap’ is produced by Paul Whitney, Mark Popejoy, Alexander Gausman and Andrew Agopsowicz, with Filmcore’s Mem Ferda co-producing.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that Mickey’s Mouse Trap still needs a distributor and although no official release date has been set, the producers are hoping for a March release.
