The public domains Winnie the Pooh in 2022, Mickey Mouse in 2024, Popeye in 2025, Betty Boop in 2026, King Kong in 2028, Snow White in 2033, Superman in 2034, Batman in 2035, Bugs Bunny in 2036, Wonder Woman in 2037, Cinderella in 2046, The Smurfs in 2054, The Flintstones in 2056, Hulk and Spider-Man in both 2058, ...
The DC characters are the next major expirations looming on the horizon. Superman and Lois Lane will enter the public domain in 2034, followed by Batman in 2035, the Joker in 2036 and Wonder Woman in 2037.
Spider-Man in film dates back to 1977, the rights belonging to Marvel until 1999, when Sony bought them for $7 million. He has been Marvel's most successful character in the cinema industry ever since.
Thor. Thor is one of Marvel's heaviest hitters, and has taken down some of Marvel's most powerful characters. But because of his Norse origins, the character actually comes from the public domain.
For a company, a copyright lasts 90 years until it is released into the public domain, so Scooby Doo will be available in 2059, unless you have enough money to lisence it.
Under current US copyright law, Bugs Bunny is due to enter the public domain in between 2034 and 2036. However, this will only apply (at first) to the character's depiction as Happy Rabbit in Porky's Hare Hunt which was published in 1938 (which will enter the US public domain in 2034).
That said, Sam and Friends, the series that introduced Kermit to audiences, debuted in 1955, meaning the series and the most prototypical version of Kermit enters the public domain in the United States in 2050.
The public domains Winnie the Pooh in 2022, Mickey Mouse in 2024, Popeye in 2025, Betty Boop in 2026, King Kong in 2028, Snow White in 2033, Superman in 2034, Batman in 2035, Bugs Bunny in 2036, Wonder Woman in 2037, Cinderella in 2046, The Smurfs in 2054, The Flintstones in 2056, Hulk and Spider-Man in both 2058, ...
As per US Copyright Laws, properties cannot be held by a single commercial entity for more than 95 years and hence, Superman and Lois Lane will enter the public domain in 2034, followed by Batman in 2035, the Joker in 2036 and Wonder Woman in 2037.
By the mid- to late 2030s, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman will have entered the public domain—but DC Comics is already preparing to keep a tight hold.
From Spider-Man to Ms. Marvel, superheroes are beloved by many, but owned by the few. Marvel Entertainment retains the copyright to iconic characters such as these, despite the fact that Marvel's employees did not create them.
Did Sony ever lose Spider-Man rights to Disney/Marvel Studios? No, never. Sony signed a limited agreement under which Marvel Studios would co-finance and co-produce Spider-Man movies that would live in the MCU, and Spider-Man could appear in non-Spidey MCU films.
After the mixed reception to Universal's 2003 film Hulk, Marvel Studios reacquired the rights to the character, though Universal retained distribution rights.
The 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz is the most well-known adaptation of The Wizard of Oz; in many respects, its popularity surpassed the original book. Its copyright was renewed in 1967, so it will remain copyrighted for a 95-year term, entering the public domain in 2035.
Is the Godzilla character in the public domain? The Godzilla character is not in the public domain. Toho Co., Ltd. actively manages and enforces its copyright and trademark rights globally, and the character remains protected under these laws.
As of 2024, the first eleven books, through Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, are in the public domain worldwide. The later works are still under copyright in the United States.
During the battles, Universal discovered that the copyright of the Lovelace novelization had expired without renewal, thus making the King Kong story a public domain one.
But as more and more works from 1900 and onwards goes into public domain, things get more complicated. With how lenient Sega is about Sonic fan creations, he's practically already in the public domain.
This year, the “Steamboat Willie” version of Mickey Mouse is now in the public domain. Originally released in 1928, this version of Mickey also appeared in the silent version of“Plane Crazy,” which introduced Minnie as his girlfriend. Additionally, two years ago, a version of Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain.
Despite this, animation historians refer to the original Tom and Jerry characters as Van Beuren's Tom and Jerry. All of the cartoons are currently available in the public domain.
January 1, 2024 is Public Domain Day: Works from 1928 are open to all, as are sound recordings from 1923! On January 1, 2024, thousands of copyrighted works from 1928 will enter the US public domain, along with sound recordings from 1923. They will be free for all to copy, share, and build upon.
Elmo is a furry red monster with an orange nose. He is three years old and generally refers to himself in the third person. Elmo talks in a falsetto voice and is enthusiastic and cheerful. He was originally designed in 1979 as a generic background monster and first appeared as Elmo on Sesame Street in 1980.
Which Winnie the Pooh characters are not public domain?
Disney still maintains the rights to the Winnie the Pooh characters created after 1926, including Tigger. If Tigger or any later character is used without permission, Disney may have a valid claim for infringement.
