Disney Princess, also called the Princess Line, is a media franchise and toy line owned by the Walt Disney Company. Created by Disney Consumer Products chairman Andy Mooney, the franchise features a lineup of female protagonists who have appeared in various Disney franchises.

Does Disney own the rights to all the princesses?

Disney owns the copyright to the princess movies it made, but not to the term princess nor to princesses not in movies they made. Also, most of Disney princess movies are based on public domain stories - Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc.

Does Disney own the rights to Cinderella?

Stories of Cinderella and these other princesses are in the public domain with a major caveat — it depends on the iteration of the story and Disney's Cinderella et al. are trademarked.

Does Disney own the rights to Rapunzel?

The stories of Rapunzel, Snow White, and Cinderella were recorded by the Brothers Grimm. The stories existed long before the Grimms recorded them, being integral parts of German folklore. They are now in the public domain and can be used freely. Of course, you can't use the Disney's retelling of the stories.

Are the Disney Princesses public domain?

Legal issues

While most of the stories from the Disney Princess line are adapted from public domain fairy tales and folk stories, individual portrayals are protected by copyright.

What If Disney Princesses Were Pregnant

How can I use Disney characters legally?

To utilise Disney characters without violating their rights, you must obtain permission from The Walt Disney Company or its subsidiaries. Its characters are protected by copyright and trademark laws, and unauthorised use can lead to legal consequences.

Who owns the rights to Bambi?

After the initial announcements, the pair began calling the work The Collaboration, as Disney owns the licensing rights for the name Bambi and they did not wish to fight for usage rights.

Is Little Mermaid public domain?

The original Little Mermaid story or 'Den lille havfrue' was published in 1837 and has long since been in the public domain. In 1989 Disney Studios took advantage of the fact that this literary work was in the public domain and released their animated movie.

Will Mickey Mouse ever be public domain?

The beloved mouse that is nearly a century old will soon enter public domain — the original Mickey Mouse's copyright expires in 2024. This anthropomorphic mouse is recognizable even by the silhouette of his ears and, in some ways, has been the face of The Walt Disney Co. since his 1928 creation.

Is Aladdin public domain?

Aladdin — both the character and the basic story elements — are wholly in the public domain. Everyone has the right to retell the story of the kid, the lamp and the genie. Disney's Aladdin, including its songs and dialogue, are property of the Mouse House.

Is The Lion King in the public domain?

Works in the public domain may be used and built upon, free from permissions or fees. Characters such as “The Lion King” and “Mary Poppins” live in the public domain, and recently have been re-imagined and remastered to fit new creative visions. Cecil B.

Can Disney renew Mickey Mouse copyright?

Can Mickey Mouse Copyright be Renewed? No, the Mickey Mouse copyright cannot be renewed. It will expire in 2023 – 95 years after Disney published Mickey Mouse for the first time.

Is Pinocchio in the public domain?

While it is likely one of the best-selling books ever published, the actual total sales since its first publication are unknown due to the many reductions and different versions. The story has been a public domain work in the U.S. since 1940.

What ethnicity is Ariel?

In the 1989 movie, Ariel was born in the fictional underwater kingdom of Atlantica, which technically makes her Atlantican, not Danish. As Ariel is half fish, she cannot be categorized by our ethnicities and races.

Which Disney Princess isn t royalty?

The character of Mulan is loosely based on the heroine from the well-known ancient Chinese poem "The Ballad of Mulan" (木蘭詩). She is the only Disney Princess who is not royal by blood or marriage.

Who is the only Disney Princess that becomes a mother?

Ariel appears as an adult in Return to the Sea and gives birth to a daughter named Melody, becoming the first, and currently, only, Disney princess to become a mother. Ariel is protective of her daughter, as Triton was of Ariel in the first film.

Is Disney losing rights to Winnie the Pooh?

That's because the 1926 storybook, titled Winnie-the-Pooh, which introduced the titular character, passed into the public domain at the start of 2022, voiding its copyright, and thus Disney's media exclusivity over the character.

Is Bugs Bunny in the public domain?

Most notably for the toy industry, these public domain characters include Mickey Mouse, Superman, Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Batman, and Bugs Bunny. Before you begin placing Batman logos on your toys, however, be mindful that the freedom to use these characters is limited to how they looked when they first appeared.

Is Winnie the Pooh still under copyright?

Public Domain

For Pooh and his friends (except Tigger), the applicable 95-year term expired in January 2022 (for Tigger it's January 2024). Winnie-the-Pooh is now part of the public domain and the original work — the story, the setting, the characters, etc. — can be used by anyone for virtually any purpose.

Is Tinkerbell public domain?

"Tinker Bell" appeared as a character in J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, first staged in 1904, and so the parties were in agreement that under copyright law, both the name and the character are in the public domain.

Is Peter Pan in the public domain?

US copyright

Although the novel Peter Pan (also known as Peter and Wendy) is in the public domain in the US, the play (and stage adaptations) is in copyright there until December 2023.

What will enter public domain in 2023?

Will Superman enter public domain?

The copyright term for a comic book published in the 1930s up through 1978 ends at the end of the year 95 years after initial publication. Thus, Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman and cover dated June 1938, will enter public domain beginning January 1, 2034.

What's the oldest Disney movie?

In 1937, Walt Disney Animation Studios released its first fully animated feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, pioneering a new form of family entertainment.

Who owns the rights to Tigger?

If Tigger or any later character is used without permission, Disney may have a valid claim for infringement. In addition, Disney also still owns the copyright for the later Winnie the Pooh, featuring Pooh in his red shirt.