Starting January 1, 2026, classic characters like Betty Boop will become freely available for anyone to use! This means films, books, music, and other creative works will enter the public domain, allowing them to be shared, performed, and adapted without needing permission or paying fees. According to experts at the Center for the Study of the Public Domain, this access helps preserve cultural treasures that might otherwise be forgotten. While it opens the door to creative new interpretations – even darker ones – it’s not limited to just that. For example, characters like Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse (“Steamboat Willie”), and Winnie the Pooh could even be featured in unexpected, even edgy, projects if someone chooses to do so.
A huge number of creative works are becoming freely available this year, and there are some real gems among them! Classic characters like Betty Boop, Blondie, and Dagwood are now in the public domain. Even the very first version of Pluto (originally known as Rover) is free to use. Several famous detectives also debuted in 1930, including Nancy Drew, Miss Marple, and Sam Spade. As for music, you can now freely use the song from Spongebob – “Livin’ in the Sunlight, Lovin’ in the Moonlight” – though the original recording by Tiny Tim is still copyrighted, as are classics like “Georgia on my Mind” and “Embraceable You.” On the book front, William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, The Little Engine That Could, and Sigmund Freud’s Civilization and Its Discontents are all now public domain. Plus, the second Marx Bros. movie, Animal Crackers, is free to show! Head over to the Internet Archive and enjoy!
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2026-01-02 01:54