Will we see another copyright extension in 2018?

[SteveRogers]

I see nothing wrong with Mickey still being copyrighted. Disney actually uses that patent, and still does, voluminously so, so it isn't like society is being shortchanged or whatnot. That being said in general I think a further 20 year extension would not be a good idea and some more measured approach would be preferable for sure.

Just because Disney still uses it doesn't mean they should be able to take it out on the rest of us.

Just because Disney has been using Mickey for a long time doesn't mean that they should lose the copyright. I think whether something is actually being used should matter. Also, Mickey does belong to Disney, and they've used Mickey a lot. I don't see how it makes sense equating Disney getting money for Mickey's use as somehow robbing the rest of us.

The idea behind limited terms for copyrights (which most people don't realize is actually enshrined in the Constitution) is that a company like should not have a permanent monopoly on art that has been around long enough to become a permanent part of our culture. Yes, Disney makes use of Mickey Mouse, but maybe someone else could be using him in a new and creative way at the same time. Think of all the great public domain characters: your Draculas and Frankensteins and Sherlock Holmses; Anyone who wants to can write a story using those characters and as a result we get a rich tapestry of different takes on these characters. But we haven't gotten any new public domain characters since 1923. Our generation is essentially the first in our civilization's history to not inherit any art from our predecessors.

And to be clear, Disney won't lose Mickey Mouse. As others have pointed out, they'll still have the trademark. Moreover, the copyright does not run with the character Mickey Mouse, but on each individual work that he appears in. Its the copyright on Steamboat Willy that will lapse first. Disney will still hold the copyright to subsequent appearances of Mickey.

I can explain it better in terms of Batman. If the first Batman comics become public domain in 2033, you can start writing and publishing your own Batman stories using the basic concepts of the character introduced in those first stories. Bruce Wayne; billionaire; dead parent; dresses like a bat, etc. But you won't be able to adapt character attributes or story points introduced in the Nolan Batman trilogy or Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, at least not for many more decades when those copyrights lapse.