Mickey Mouse Goes Horror: The Latest Projects Unveiled

After being under US copyright for nearly a century due to law changes, the 1928 Disney cartoon Steamboat Willie, where Mickey and Minnie Mouse made their debut, is now in the public domain. When beloved characters become available for new projects, some take them in unexpected directions—like turning them into monsters. There are plans for three horror-themed creations featuring Mickey Mouse.

The first game is Infestation: Origins. It was announced through IGN right after it became legally possible. It’s a cooperative horror game where players tackle mysterious infestations caused by twisted versions of classic characters and urban legends—Mickey takes the lead as the main adversary.

Mickey Mouse Goes Horror: The Latest Projects Unveiled

Initially named “Infestation 88” because of its 1988 setting, the game’s title was changed after concerns arose that the number 88 is linked to neo-Nazi symbolism. The developers, Nightmare Forge Games, clarified they were unaware of this association and swiftly changed the name to avoid any offence.

Similar to popular co-op horror games like Phasmophobia, Infestation is set for an early access release sometime this year.

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Another project announced is Mickey’s Mouse Trap, touted as “the first-ever live-action Mickey Mouse comedy horror feature film.” The trailer doesn’t look overly impressive. However, it’s intriguing to see Mickey in scenarios that would have caused legal trouble until recently.

Variety reports an unnamed horror comedy based on Steamboat Willie is also in the works.

This trend of transforming kid’s characters into horror themes happened recently with Winnie the Pooh. It resulted in a horror movie called Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey and a game titled Hundred Acre Wood.

Mickey’s case is a bit different. While he’s Disney’s symbol of innocence, only the 1928 version of Mickey is now free to use. Now, Mickey isn’t as innocent—he spends much of Steamboat Willie causing trouble for other animals.

An aggressively mischievous Mickey might seem less of a departure compared to a murderous Winnie the Pooh. However, expect more weird versions of Mickey in different genres; a dark, twisted take like American McGee’s Alice could be on the horizon, maybe even a Mickey-themed Souls-like game.

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