As Copyright.gov notes, “a general rule, for works created after January 1, 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years.” This is why no one can predict when the Harry Potter character will enter the public domain.

Will Harry Potter ever be public domain?

The public domain isn't exactly something that happens quickly. According to the rules, something enters the public domain after 70 years. Oh, I'm sorry, 70 years after the creator's death. Meaning that we will not see Harry Potter in the public domain in our lifetime.

Who owns the IP rights to Harry Potter?

J.K. ROWLING'S WIZARDING WORLD is a trademark of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Materials from the Harry Potter series of films and from the film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them are courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

What's entering the public domain in 2023?

Will Batman ever be public domain?

Copyright law in the United States dictates that works published after the 95th year of publication will no longer be affected by copyright. This means that characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Mickey Mouse, Captain America, and Batman will be entering the public domain within the next 15 years.

Copyright: Forever Less One Day

Will Superman ever be public domain?

The copyright term for a comic book published in the 1930s up through 1978 ends at the end of the year 95 years after initial publication. Thus, Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman and cover dated June 1938, will enter public domain beginning January 1, 2034.

Is Superman open domain?

Superman becomes public domain in 2034 followed by Batman in 2035 and then Wonder Womanin 2036. Many JSA and other golden age characters will become PD over the next few years as well, some earlier than Superman.

Is Wizard of Oz public domain?

The children's book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum in 1900 is in the public domain. This follows the general rule that any work published before 1923 is in the public domain. The film, The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland and directed in 1939 by Victor Fleming is NOT in the public domain.

Will Mickey Mouse ever be public domain?

The beloved mouse that is nearly a century old will soon enter public domain — the original Mickey Mouse's copyright expires in 2024. This anthropomorphic mouse is recognizable even by the silhouette of his ears and, in some ways, has been the face of The Walt Disney Co. since his 1928 creation.

Is Mickey Mouse copyright expiring?

In 1928, copyrights lasted for 28 years, with the option for renewal of another 28 years. As of 2023, Mickey Mouse was published almost 95 years ago. The copyright of the original Mickey Mouse character – as it appeared in “Steamboat Willie” – expires on January 1, 2024.

How do you avoid Harry Potter copyright?

Does J.K. Rowling get royalties?

Though Rowling did not create the game's characters or story, as the author of Harry Potter she owns the rights to the franchise's intellectual property, meaning that she makes royalties based on Harry Potter merchandise, the movies, the Warner Brothers theme park, and of course, sales of the books.

Does J.K. Rowling still get royalties?

Although Rowling seemingly hasn't created new content for the game, the entire premise of the world Hogwarts Legacy is based on is still Rowling's intellectual property, and by association, she is sure to receive royalties based on that. Rowling consistently makes passive income on all Harry Potter products.

Will Disney characters ever be public domain?

According to US copyright law, the rights for a character expire 95 years after the publication of the original work. Disney will lose the Mickey Mouse copyright for Steamboat Willie in 2024, since the short animated film was produced and distributed in 1928.

Why is Bambi public domain?

Disney argued that because Salten's original 1923 publication of the novel did not include a copyright notice, by American law it was immediately considered a public domain work.

How long until Harry Potter enters public domain?

Harry Potter: Going by the "corporate creation" rule of 95 years, the Harry Potter universe will go into public domain at its earliest in 2092. The works of Roald Dahl: 2085. Anything you make right now: 2111.

Is Disney losing rights to Winnie-the-Pooh?

That's because the 1926 storybook, titled Winnie-the-Pooh, which introduced the titular character, passed into the public domain at the start of 2022, voiding its copyright, and thus Disney's media exclusivity over the character.

Is Winnie-the-Pooh still under copyright?

Public Domain

For Pooh and his friends (except Tigger), the applicable 95-year term expired in January 2022 (for Tigger it's January 2024). Winnie-the-Pooh is now part of the public domain and the original work — the story, the setting, the characters, etc. — can be used by anyone for virtually any purpose.

What is the 100 year copyright law?

Under this act, recordings published before 1923 expired on January 1, 2022; recordings published between 1923 and 1946 will be protected for 100 years after release; recordings published between 1947 and 1956 will be protected for 110 years; and all recordings published after 1956 that were fixed prior to February 15, ...

Is Shrek in the public domain?

For works created by corporations like DreamWorks Animation, the copyright term is 95 years from the date of publication or 120 years from the date of creation, whichever comes first. Since Shrek was created by DreamWorks Animation in 2001, its copyright will not expire until at least 2096.

Which Disney Princesses are public domain?

Cinderella's story from the Brothers Grimm is public domain along with Snow White's story, Rapunzel's story and so on and so forth.

Is Peter Pan in the public domain?

US copyright

Although the novel Peter Pan (also known as Peter and Wendy) is in the public domain in the US, the play (and stage adaptations) is in copyright there until December 2023.

Is Thor open domain?

But because of his Norse origins, the character actually comes from the public domain. While Thor does also exist in DC Comics, that version pales in comparison to the popularity of Marvel's iteration of the character.

Is Popeye in public domain?

In the US, Popeye is considered “work for hire” because “Segar was an employee of King Features Syndicate when he introduced Popeye into the Thimble Theatre comic strip.” This means that Popeye will enter the public domain in the US on January 1, 2025. But wait, there's more!

Is Bugs Bunny in the public domain?

Most notably for the toy industry, these public domain characters include Mickey Mouse, Superman, Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Batman, and Bugs Bunny. Before you begin placing Batman logos on your toys, however, be mindful that the freedom to use these characters is limited to how they looked when they first appeared.