The movie, Mickey’s Mouse Entice, comes after Disney’s copyright safety of the “Steamboat Willie” model of Mickey Mouse expired after 95 years.
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A made-in-Ottawa film is making waves as one of many 12 months’s first productions to painting Mickey Mouse in a approach unlikely to fulfill the approval of Walt Disney. The truth is, it most likely would have given him the willies.
Mickey’s Mouse Entice is a live-action horror movie wherein a murderous villain in a Mickey costume terrorizes a bunch of pals trapped in an amusement arcade. Ottawa-based actor/filmmaker Simon Phillips launched the film’s chilling trailer on Jan. 1, the day the copyright expired on Steamboat Willie, the 1928 animated movie that’s thought of Mickey’s debut.
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Ninety-five years after its launch, the Steamboat-era Mickey character is now within the public area, making it honest sport for imaginative creators. You might recall the same factor occurred to Winnie the Pooh final 12 months when that character entered the general public area, and shortly turned a feral killer in an impartial slasher flick.
Phillips, a British expat who emigrated to Ottawa about 5 years in the past, mentioned he was impressed to sort out Mickey after studying an article final 12 months concerning the impending copyright expiration. He not solely wrote and produced the film, but in addition stars because the murderous villain.
Why horror? With a few horror flicks below his belt, together with 2020’s Butchers and 2022’s Deinfluencer, Phillips has expertise with the style. Plus, he thought of it an fascinating experiment to flip Mickey’s happy-go-lucky character.
“If, when Mickey Mouse entered the general public area and I made some type of comedy or heat, fuzzy household film about it, it’s not precisely breaking new floor,” Phillips mentioned in an interview. “This is a chance to interrupt new floor, to do one thing that Disney wouldn’t have maybe completed with their character. That’s what being artistic is in a consistently evolving world.”
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The movie was shot after hours at Ottawa’s Funhaven, a location chosen due to its measurement and visible enchantment. Forged and crew would arrive after closing and work till daybreak.
“It’s a utterly Ottawa movie,” Phillips says. “The actors are from Ottawa, in addition to the manufacturing crew, design workforce, make-up – all of the solid and crew are Ottawa-based. The one one who got here in from Toronto was the director, Jamie Bailey.”
Born in Eire, Phillips moved to Ottawa along with his brother after he obtained to know the town whereas producing a TV drama referred to as No Simple Days. He spent seven months within the nation’s capital to shoot the present’s 10 episodes.
“As a result of I used to be right here for such a very long time, I fell in love with it a bit extra as a spot to dwell at a velocity I kinda like,” he mentioned. “Ottawa is an enormous city reasonably than a metropolis, in my thoughts. It doesn’t have the visitors of L.A. or Toronto however it has sufficient metropolis for me.”
Together with his bearded countenance and menacing glare, the 43-year-old Phillips has gained a status as an efficient unhealthy man. He’s received awards for his portrayal of Santa Claus in horror Christmas motion pictures and has appeared in function movies alongside motion stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Jean-Claude Van Damme. At present you may see him within the Netflix sequence, FUBAR, with Schwarzenegger, and season three of The Witcher.
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There are not any Disney credit to his title – thus far – however don’t get the concept Phillips has some type of beef with the magic kingdom. He’s an enormous fan of Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and all the opposite Disney characters.
“Individuals are questioning if that is revenge in opposition to Disney, and I’m like, ‘Under no circumstances.’ I like Disney. I grew up with Mickey Mouse. I like something Disney does,” he says. “There’s no revenge right here. We’re simply doing what Disney would encourage you to do: be artistic and play.”
A full launch of Mickey’s Mouse Entice is predicted by March.
lsaxberg@postmedia.com
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