Mickey Mouseis the latest classic character to receive a horror makeover, thanks to the public domain. Following the somewhat successful (more on that later)Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, filmmakers are rushing to turn beloved childhood figures (now void of copyright restrictions) into nightmare-inducing characters. One of the most recent features to make its way into the public domain genre isI Heart Willie, which takes its cues from Disney’s 1928Steamboat Willie, the first movie to feature the iconic Mickey Mouse.
I Heart Willieis described as a “chilling origin story” that “presents genre fans with a sinister reimagining of one of the most iconic cartoon characters in history, along with one of the most horrifying love stories of the year.” It follows YouTubers Daniel and Nico as they visit an allegedly haunted location to investigate a legend about a boy with deformities who resembles a “human-mouse hybrid” and served as the inspiration forSteamboat Willie. In the trailer, which you can watch below, we see Daniel, Nico, and friends embark on a trip to investigate the mysterious and malevolent Willie. We hear one friend say, “Pure evil never dies.” An ominous warning that also flashes on the screen during the trailer’s final seconds.
Directed by Alejandro G. Alegre and written by David Vaughn (who also portrays the titular character),I Heart Williepremiered at the Morbido Film Fest on July 23, 2025, and had a limited one-night theatrical release in February 2025. As is expected by anyone following these public domain horror adaptations,I Heart Williedidn’t exactly woo critics, who labeled it nonsense and tedious, among some other less-than-flattering adjectives.I Heart Willieisn’t the only recent genre movie to draw fromSteamboat Willie.Among those features isScreamboat, led by David Howard Thornton, best known for portraying the recent horror favorite Art the Clown in theTerrifierfilms, and directed by Steven LaMorte. This one also hasn’t garnered critical acclaim, but hey… at least we have options.
Are Public Domain Slashers on the Decline?
The expiration of copyrights on characters has led to a multitude of horror takes on some of our favorite childhood characters. This trend is most notably spearheaded by Jagged Edge Productions’Twisted Childhood Universe, which includesWinnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, its sequel, andPeter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, along with the upcomingBambi: The Reckoning, Pinocchio:Unstrung, and the crossover featurePoohniverse: Monsters Assemble. Other indie efforts includeThe Dark Domain: Mickey vs. Winnie, Cinderella’s Curse, andPopeye the Slayer Man.
Is it a tired trend? It’s certainly starting to feel that way.Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honeycertainly drew attention, grossing an astonishing $7.7 million worldwide on a budget of just $100,000, but critics despised the film. It currently holds an abysmal 3% on Rotten Tomatoes. The sequel fared much better (sitting with a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but it’s not exactly good, either. It’s likely thatas more (and more) of these public domain horrorsemerge, the novelty may wear thin.
I Heart Williewill be available on digital platforms starting July 10, 2025. Vaughn stars alongside Maya Luna, Micho Camacho, Sergio Rogalto, and Daniela Porras.
Source:YouTube
I Heart Willie
