First announced as public domain in January of this year, the animated short Steamboat Willie became available for everyone to use with no copyright worries. The same day, several horror movies and games based around this short animated film were announced. The Return of Steamboat Willie is one of these horror films and now it has officially dropped its first teaser trailer. No release date has been announced yet. Check out the teaser trailer and more about the film below.
Little is known about the plot, except for “After 95 years of being locked away, Willie is free and he wants his Steamboat back.” This film is being made in Unreal Engine 5 and is being released by Fewture Studios. It is directed by Kai Henry, TxREK, and Joe Smith. The story is written by Joe Smith and is produced by Yonatan Hagos, Kelvin Craver, and Darron Ross. No cast has been announced yet.
First released back in 1928, the animated short Steamboat Willie was groundbreaking for its time. It was one of the first films to use synchronized sound and this short, helped jumpstart Disney as we know it today. 95 years later, the short is now public domain and is up to be freely used without the worry of copyright laws. This includes the black and white version of characters Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Peg-Leg Pete, and Parrot.
This year will be interesting with all the horror movies and games announced based on this famous animated short film. Several horror films based on beloved classics have been announced such as Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2, Cinderella’s Curse, Bambi: The Reckoning, and Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare. Are you excited about this upcoming horror film, or do you think they should leave the classics alone? Let us know in the comments below. Also, check out the trailer for the other Mickey Mouse horror film Mickey’s Mouse Trap below.