INAL, but my guess is that Disney will let this lapse and defend the original IP as a Trademark, which will protect them for eternity as long as they continue to use it.
Basically, yeah. Disney has been using a snippet of Steamboat Willie as part of their title cards for a while now which allows them to claim it as a trademark. Thing is... they haven't been doing the same thing for other characters.
INAL, but my guess is that Disney will let this lapse and defend the original IP as a Trademark, which will protect them for eternity as long as they continue to use it.
Basically, yeah. Disney has been using a snippet of Steamboat Willie as part of their title cards for a while now which allows them to claim it as a trademark. Thing is... they haven't been doing the same thing for other characters.