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Disney and deadmau5 have resolved their trademark dispute

Disney and deadmau5 have resolved their trademark dispute

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He can wear that mouse helmet freely and with pride

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After nine months of legal wrangling and the occasional Twitter sniping, deadmau5 and Disney are on good terms again. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the electronic music titan (real name Joel Zimmerman) and the entertainment giant have settled their dispute over the use of deadmau5's famous mouse head, a staple in record artwork and live performances that resembles Mickey Mouse's iconic silhouette. When deadmau5 attempted to trademark the logo in the US last September — he already holds the trademark in over 30 countries — Disney filed to block the application, claiming that deadmau5's design was "nearly identical in appearance, connotation, and overall commercial impression to Disney’s Mouse Ears Marks."

He issued a rebuttal that stretched over thousands of pages

This prompted a major airing of grievances on deadmau5's part, both on Twitter and through the US Trademark Office. He filed a cease and desist regarding Disney's use of his hit "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" in a video remix featuring Mickey himself, just one part of an official rebuttal that stretched over thousands of pages. He also revealed that he had been approached by Disney about collaborating on a series of projects, including a reinterpretation of Fantasia for its 75th anniversary and a remix of the Star Wars theme song for the animated Disney XD series Star Wars Rebel. But Disney didn't budge, and insisted that its opposition to the trademark had less to do with deadmau5's costume than its potential use for selling a wide array of licensed merchandise.

The exact terms of the settlement remain unclear, though more details should be revealed when the resolution is officially registered with the trademark office. In a tweet directed at The Verge's Chris Ziegler, deadmau5 wasn't exactly willing (or, more likely, legally allowed) to share details:


Verge Video: Shooting drones with deadmau5