First look at warped Mickey Mouse horror with Hollywood icon you won't recognise

A new Mickey Mouse horror movie is in the works and the first picture of the terrifying lead villain has been released, played by one well-known actor you'll do a double take at

A picture of the twisted Mickey Mouse horror movie has finally been revealed.

Discussing Film posted on X/Twitter: "First look at Steamboat Willie, played by Art the Clown actor David Howard Thornton, in a new ‘STEAMBOAT WILLIE’ horror movie. In theaters in April."

Variety released the picture of Thornton dressed in a grotesque grey mouse costume, covered in fur with giant Mickey Mouse-inspired ears to match. The Terrifier actor's face was masked by prosthetics, including a mouse nose, long whiskers and grey skin with folds and wrinkles around his eyes.

On his head, the Steamboat Willie character wore a large black hat. He wore dirty grey trousers and clutched a pole with his rat-like hands, complete with long grey talons.

Terrifer actor David Howard Thornton plays the lead villain(Image: Bloody Disgusting)

Despite David's incredible transformation, the pictures received mixed reviews from critics who begged for the trend of "public domain horror movies" to stop. One person replied to the tweet with: "Can we stop Public Domain Horror movies right now?!"

Another added: "First Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, now this. We just turning everything from the past into a horror movie now[?]" A third person chimed in: "What’s with all the Disney horror movies lately? lol"

The film is based on the Mickey Mouse character from Steamboat Willie(Image: LMPC via Getty Images)

"I get the compulsion to reuse iconic media once it hits public domain, but why does it always have to be a horror movie? I mean, I guess it's a little better than some other "adult" entertainment, but still…." wrote another unimpressed cinemagoer.

Others branded the horror remake "laughably bad," "bizarre" and "lame," while someone else simply wished the film "good luck".

Screamboat is set to be released in April 2025(Image: Fuzz on the Lens Productions/Slight of Hand Productions)

Bloody Disgusting previously announced the film's release on X/Twitter: "The short film that introduced Mickey Mouse to the world, 1928’s Steamboat Willie, entered the public domain this year and a horror movie adaptation is already on the way."

"David Howard Thornton (Terrifier) will star in SCREAMBOAT as the murderous mouse!”

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