Disney fans are weirded out after the company promoted a viral video with an AI Mickey Mouse that has baby-like human teeth—sparking major backlash.

ORLANDO: What happens when Mickey Mouse smiles—with teeth? Not magic. Social media chaos. Disney has landed in hot water for promoting a viral YouTube video where an AI-generated Mickey Mouse sports weird, human-like baby teeth—and fans are totally creeped out.

The image popped up in a new video by YouTube stars Dude Perfect, who partnered with Disney Experiences for a high-energy world tour of all 12 Disney theme parks across six countries—in just 75 hours. The problem? The promo thumbnail shows a digitally-created Mickey with tiny, human-like chompers, and the internet had one word: nope.

“Stare into the abyss of AI Mickey’s teeth,” joked one user on X (formerly Twitter), capturing the vibe that quickly spread across timelines and comment sections.

Though Disney didn’t make the image themselves, they amplified it across official channels—prompting confusion and criticism, especially as Disney has recently cracked down on AI-generated content using its characters. Just last month, the company reportedly sent a cease-and-desist to Character.AI over Mickey and Marvel content.

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Long-time Disney fans say this stunt crosses a line. “They’re tightening control on Mickey IP,” one user posted, “but this is what they approve?”

The timing doesn’t help either—2024 marked the year that the original 1928 Steamboat Willie Mickey entered public domain. Disney’s legal team has been busy drawing a hard line between early and modern versions of its most iconic mouse.

Still, the image is out there, and so is the question: Why did Disney give this scary smile a thumbs-up?

-Agencies