Mickey Mouse has been an iconic household name for many generations
(Picture: Ian West / PA)When it comes to brand mascots, Disney’s Mickey Mouse is arguably the most iconic and intergenerational, with many regarding him as a symbol of the theme parks Disney deems as the “happiest” places “on Earth”.
Understandably, TikTok users were horrified when rumours of Disney replacing Mickey Mouse as its mascot spread across the social media platform.
It all started when a TikTok account named Mouse Trap News posted a video on February 9, saying that Mickey’s time as Disney’s frontman was coming to an end.
His replacement was identified as Disney Kingdom’s Figment, the purple dragon you may have spotted in Inside Out or Toy Story 4 recently.
The TikToker said the company had made the decision because its trademark on Mickey Mouse was running out.
It wasn’t long before the video made its way up users’ feeds, freaking out Disney fanatics.
One fan commented: “I will sign petitions to keep Mickey”, while another said: “DON’T DO THIS HE’S BEEN EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE”.
Some were more welcoming, with one TikTok user sharing: “Figment isn’t bad but it’ll take some getting [used] to”.
Thankfully, it was all an awful joke. A closer inspection of the TikToker’s profile revealed that he shares fake Disney news.
To be exact, his bio says: “Real Disney news that is 100% fake”.
The hoax aside, fans will be seeing more of Figment soon, as Disney recently revealed that the lovable dragon will finally get his own movie.
Pokémon Detective Pikachu duo Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit will write the script for the film, while Seth Rogen takes on production duties.
Figment was first created in 1983 as a character that embodied the process of imagination. His name is a nod to the famous expression “a figment of my imagination”.
He has been a staple part of Disney’s Epcot theme park in Florida for decades, despite never featuring in his own big-screen project.
He has only made cameos in other Disney features, and many fans feel like the little dragon has earned the right to have his own film.
