The “Steamboat Willie” version of Mickey Mouse has sailed to Walt Disney’s biggest enemy: the public domain. Much like Winnie the Pooh took his first bloody steps into the public domain last year, the Willie version of Mickey Mouse is already up for grabs, and now everyone wants a piece of that mouse, which is why there are already a handful of scary Mickey projects in the works.
This won’t be the first time Mickey’s likeness is used horrifically — he appeared in Escape From Tomorrow, the 2013 horror flick that was discretely filmed inside the Disney parks. He also appeared in his own ride, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, where he forces Minnie to listen to his guitar playing, much like a certain Ken we know. This mouse must be stopped!
Here are all of the “Mickey” projects currently in the works (This does not include Mickey 17, Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite follow-up due this year. That’s a different Mickey. Stay alert.)
Untitled Steven LaMorte Project
With a name like LaMorte, it’s no surprise that the director is jumping at the chance to make a killer mouse flick, especially after his Terrifier 2 became a cult favorite in 2022. LaMorte said in a statement that “Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” he teased, adding “and I can’t wait to unleash our twisted take on this beloved character to the world.” Production is expected to begin this spring.
Mickey’s Mouse Trap
The team behind Mickey’s Mouse Trap wasted no time promoting their new slasher and dropped the trailer on New Year’s Day, also known as The Day Willie Died. Not to be confused with Five Nights At Freddys, Mickey’s Mouse Trap follows a group of unsuspecting teens being stalked by a man in a mouse costume. No release date has been announced as of yet, but you can check out the trailer below if you’re brave.
Infestation: Origins
Yes, this one is a game, but if you’re interested in becoming one with the mouse, you might want to check it out. The rules are simple: find the mouse, kill the mouse. But could it be that easy? Probably not. The game is now available for pre-save on Steam.