A struggling cartoon studio creates one of the most recognizable characters in the world. Mickey Mouse begins as a pencil sketch, and through a journey of failure, betrayal, innovation, and guts becomes an American icon, and the foundation of an iconic media empire.

Amidst financial troubles, Disney hires an ingenious marketing whiz who helps them figure out how to bring their beloved characters off the screen and into the hands of millions. Mickey becomes the first celebrity face to grace a cereal box and from there, the licensing of Disney products becomes a lucrative industry and the gold standard for multimedia corporations all over the world.