Two horror films and a video game featuring Mickey Mouse were announced just hours after Disney’s earliest versions of the cartoon character entered the public domain in the US.
It means the early versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse featured in the film – their first screen release – can be used without incurring a cost.
Image: A poster for Steamboat Willie Pic: Snap/Shutterstock
Mickey’s Mouse Trap, a slasher film that features imagery from Steamboat Willie, is expected to be released in March.
Its trailer has been released on YouTube, with the caption claiming the movie is the “first ever live-action Mickey Mouse comedy horror feature film”.
The movie follows a group of young people who have thrown a surprise 21st birthday party for their friend, who is doing a late shift at an amusement arcade.
A masked killer dressed as the children’s character decides to play a sinister game with the group.
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They are seen enjoying the amusement arcade before one says: “There’s blood all over the jungle gym.”
Image: A scene from Mickey’s Mouse Trap
A clip from Steamboat Willie plays before the masked killer grabs one of the young women from behind.
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The text on the screen says: “A place for fun. A place for friends. A place for hunting. The mouse is out.”
Director Jamie Bailey said: “We just wanted to have fun with it all.
Image: Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie Pic: Snap/Shutterstock
“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.”
A second Mickey Mouse-inspired horror is set to be made by director Steven LaMorte, who previously directed a horror parody of The Grinch.
“A late-night boat ride turns into a desperate fight for survival in New York City when a mischievous mouse becomes a monstrous reality,” is the logline for the untitled film, as posted on LaMorte’s Instagram.
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“Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” LaMorte told US publication Variety.
“It’s a project I’ve been dreaming of, and I can’t wait to unleash this twisted take on this beloved character to the world.”
Meanwhile, a video game called Infestation: Origins inspired by the early Mickey Mouse has also been slated for release in 2024 by company Nightmare Forge Games.
Steamboat Willie was directed by Walt Disney and his partner Ub Iwerks, and shows the cartoon figure captaining a boat and making musical instruments out of other animals.
Slasher film Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey was released last year after A A Milne’s original storybook about a bear who loves honey, released in 1926, entered the public domain in the US in January 2022.
Unreleased Beyonce music – along with footage and show plans – has been stolen from a car in Atlanta, police say.
The vehicle had been rented by the star’s choreographer and a dancer last week.
But on 8 July – just before she was about to begin a four days of performances in the city – the SUV’s back window was smashed, and two suitcases were taken.
Two MacBook laptops, Apple headphones and luxury clothes are also missing – alongside the five thumb drives containing the songs.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a suspect, but their identity has been withheld.
“Light prints” have been detected at the scene, and the robbery was captured on CCTV.
MasterChef presenter John Torode says an allegation he used “racial language” was upheld in a report as part of a review into the behaviour of his former co-presenter Gregg Wallace.
There were also two standalone allegations made against other people.
In a statement posted on his Instagram page, Torode said he was one of those people, but added that he had “no recollection of the incident” and said he “did not believe that it happened”.
He commented: “Following publication of the executive summary of the investigation into Gregg Wallace while working on MasterChef, I am aware of speculation that I am one of the two other individuals against whom an allegation has been upheld.
“For the sake of transparency, I confirm that I am the individual who is alleged to have used racial language on one occasion.
“The allegation is that I did so sometime in 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards.
“I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened.
“However, I want to be clear that I’ve always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. I’m shocked and saddened by the allegation as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence.”
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
An investigation into Gregg Wallace’s “inappropriate behaviour” on MasterChef has found that more than half of the allegations against him have been substantiated, including one of “unwanted physical contact”.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK shared a summary of its report into historical allegations of misconduct against the 60-year-old presenter, carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin over seven months.
The report also said the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable”.
The investigation heard evidence from 78 witnesses, including 41 complainants.
There were 83 allegations against Wallace, and 45 of them were substantiated. All were related to MasterChef.
While the majority of the substantiated allegations related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated.
One allegation of unwanted physical contact was substantiated.
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Nearly all the allegations against Wallace were related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with just one substantiated allegation taking place post-2018.
Additionally, the report summary found that there were also 10 standalone allegations about other people between 2012 and 2018/2019, two of which were substantiated. Those people were not named in the summary.
The investigation found that complaints had previously been raised with the production company between 2005 and 2024.
Image: Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024
While the report flagged inadequate reporting procedures prior to 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine ahead of Banijay acquiring Endemol Shine in 2020, it said there were significant improvements to HR processes and training after 2016.
While the investigation said some formal action was taken by the BBC in 2017, it also noted the corporation held no information regarding concerns raised over Wallace centrally, resulting in issues being addressed as a first offence.
Sky News has tried to contact Gregg Wallace for contact today.