Pluto’s Public Domain Fiasco Will Be a Nightmare for Every Disney Fan

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As Taylor Swift might say, this has been a long time in the making! The public domain doesn’t mind waiting for popular characters to become freely available, and we’ve already seen Disney icons like Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh enter it. Now, in 2026, another familiar face will join the mix: Goofy’s pal is entering the public domain, which is sure to spark some interesting new creations.

That’s correct! The very first version of Disney’s Pluto is entering the public domain, meaning anyone can freely use the character. While exciting for creativity, it’s a bit bittersweet for Disney to see their beloved pup become so widely available.

Pluto’s Public Domain Debut Was Inevitable

Many people don’t realize Pluto wasn’t always the character we know today. He first appeared in the 1930s in cartoon shorts called The Chain Gang and The Picnic, which both featured Mickey Mouse. In these early appearances, he was known as Rover – a goofy, happy-go-lucky dog who quickly became friends with Mickey and Minnie during a fun outing. Rover was incredibly loyal but easily sidetracked, and he served as the original model for the Pluto character we love today.

Pluto remains in the public domain, meaning anyone can use the character. While Pluto has changed over the years, his original design, known as Rover, didn’t last long. Disney actually named him Pluto in 1931, hoping to benefit from the recent discovery of the planet Pluto. Eventually, the name ‘Pluto’ itself will be free for public use, but for now, Hollywood is stuck with the older ‘Rover’ version.

Pluto Will Get a Cujo-Inspired Horror Movie, Bet On It

Credit: Walt Disney Studios

It’s no surprise that Hollywood often revisits popular stories once their copyrights expire. Winnie-the-Pooh experienced this when the original stories by A.A. Milne became public domain on January 1, 2022. While Disney still owns its version of Pooh, anyone can now create new stories based on the original character. This has led to some very creative—and in one notable case, quite violent—adaptations, like the film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.

I have to admit, that Winnie-the-Pooh horror movie was… something. Critics were all over the place, but it clearly struck a chord because a sequel came out just last year, and they’re already planning a third one! It’s wild to see these beloved childhood characters – like Mickey Mouse and Peter Pan – turned into horror villains just to make a buck. Now that Rover is in the public domain, I’m bracing myself – you just know those filmmakers are already thinking about a scary take on him. I’m almost positive we’ll see a *Cujostyle movie with Rover soon, and it’ll probably get even crazier when Pluto’s name also enters the public domain.

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2026-01-02 21:19