The New Year marks the passage of time and the beginning of a new chapter, so it is only fitting that the same day also provides an opportunity to breathe new life into thousands of creative works that are nearly a century old. Starting January 1, 2026, characters such as early Betty Boop and Nancy Drew, as well as many popular films, books and songs, will enter the public domain.
They join a growing list of cultural icons that are no longer protected by copyright, including Popeye the Sailor And Mickey Mouse version of “Steamboat Willie”.
List of popular intellectual properties entering the public domain in 2026
In 2026, for the first time, copyrighted books, films, songs and works of art published in the 1930s will enter the US public domain. On January 1, the protection period for published works dating back to 1930 and sound recordings dating back to 1925 expires.
Here are some of the most notable works that are being made available for free use by anyone:
- Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie is the first novel featuring the elderly amateur detective Miss Marple.
- The Mystery of the Old Clock by Caroline Keane, the first appearance of teen detective Nancy Drew and three sequels.
- The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper.
- Fleischer Studios' “Giddy Dishes” is the first cartoon in which Betty Boop appears.
- Disney's “Chain Gang” and “Picnic” depict the earliest versions of Mickey's dog Pluto.
- The first four months of Chick Young's Blondie comics, featuring the earliest versions of the title character and her then-boyfriend Dagwood.
- The film “All Quiet on the Western Front” directed by Lewis Milestone, winner of the Third Academy Award for Best Picture.
- The King of Jazz, directed by John Murray Anderson, marks Bing Crosby's first appearance in a feature film.
- Animal Crackers directed by Victor Herman and starring the Marx Brothers.
- The Big Trail, directed by Raoul Walsh, is John Wayne's first starring role.
- “But Not for Me” – music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
- “Georgia on My Mind” music by Hoagy Carmichael, lyrics by Stuart Gorrell.
- “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” music by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, lyrics by Gus Kahn.
- “Living in the Sunlight, Loving in the Moonlight,” music by Al Sherman, lyrics by Al Lewis.
- Piet Mondrian's painting “Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow”.
How does the public domain work?
When a work's copyright protection expires, it enters the public domain, allowing anyone to use and develop it as they wish, free of charge and without permission.
“Copyright gives rights to creators and their descendants, which provide incentives for creativity,” Jennifer Jenkins, director of Duke University. Center for Public Domain Studies, told Lee Cowan of CBS News in 2024. “But the public domain really is the breeding ground for future creativity.”
US Constitution intellectual property clause states that works are protected for a limited period of time “to promote the progress of science and useful arts.” The Founding Fathers left it to Congress to sort out the details.
Generally, in the United States, works published or registered before 1978 retain copyright protection for 95 years. For later works, protection usually extends for the life of the author and 70 years thereafter.
“If copyright lasted forever, many authors would have a very difficult time creating the work they want without worrying about being in the crosshairs of a copyright lawsuit,” Jenkins said.
Just because the copyright in a work has expired does not mean that in some cases members of the public cannot be held legally responsible. For example, the original 1930 Betty Boop is in the public domain, but the modern version is not. Therefore, to avoid infringement, any reuse must avoid its new characteristics. Additionally, the character is covered by multiple trademarks, making it even more difficult to use.
What will become public in 2027?
Protection for works protected by 1931 copyright expires in 2027. These include Universal Pictures' Frankenstein and Dracula, Charlie Chaplin's City Lights, Fritz Lang's M, Hermann Hupfeld's jazz standard As Time Goes By, and many others.
