Entertainment
These notable works enter the public domain in 2026
New Year’s Day commemorates the passing of time and the start of a new chapter, so it is fitting that the same day also presents an opportunity to breathe new life into thousands of creative works nearly a century old. As of Jan. 1, 2026, characters like early Betty Boop and Nancy Drew, and a variety of popular movies, books and songs, are entering the public domain.
They join a growing list of cultural icons that are no longer under copyright protection, including Popeye the Sailor Man and the “Steamboat Willie” version of Mickey Mouse.
List of popular intellectual property entering the public domain in 2026
The year 2026 marks the first time that copyrighted books, films, songs and art published in the ’30s enter the U.S. public domain. As of Jan. 1, protections expire for published works from 1930 and sound recordings from 1925.
Here are some of the most notable works that are becoming available for free use by anyone:
- “The Murder at the Vicarage” by Agatha Christie, the first novel featuring elderly amateur detective Miss Marple.
- “The Secret of the Old Clock” by Carolyn Keene, the first appearance of teen detective Nancy Drew, and three follow-ups.
- “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper.
- Fleischer Studios’ “Dizzy Dishes,” the first cartoon in which Betty Boop appears.
- Disney’s “The Chain Gang” and “The Picnic,” both depicting the earliest versions of Mickey’s dog Pluto.
- The initial four months of “Blondie” comic strips by Chic Young, featuring the earliest iterations of the titular character and her then-boyfriend, Dagwood.
- The film “All Quiet on the Western Front,” directed by Lewis Milestone, Best Picture winner at the 3rd Academy Awards.
- “King of Jazz,” directed by John Murray Anderson, Bing Crosby’s first appearance in a feature film.
- “Animal Crackers,” directed by Victor Heerman and starring the Marx Brothers.
- “The Big Trail,” directed by Raoul Walsh, John Wayne’s first turn as leading man.
- “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.
- “Livin’ in the Sunlight, Lovin’ in the Moonlight,” music by Al Sherman, lyrics by Al Lewis.
- Piet Mondrian’s painting, “Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow.”
How the public domain works
When a work’s copyright protections lapse, it lands in the public domain, allowing anyone to use and build upon it as they see fit for free and without needing permission.
“Copyright gives rights to creators and their descendants that provide incentives to create,” Jennifer Jenkins, director of Duke University’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain, told CBS News’ Lee Cowan in 2024. “But the public domain really is the soil for future creativity.”
The U.S. Constitution’s intellectual property clause establishes that works be protected for a limited amount of time, “to promote the progress of science and useful arts.” The Founding Fathers left it to Congress to sort out the specifics.
Generally, in the U.S., works published or registered before 1978 retain copyright protections for 95 years. For later works, protection usually spans the creator’s lifetime and 70 years after.
“If copyright lasted forever, it would be very difficult for a lot of creators to make the works they want to make without worrying about being in the crosshairs of a copyright lawsuit,” Jenkins said.
Just because a work’s copyright has expired does not mean that members of the public cannot be held legally liable in some instances. For example, while the original Betty Boop from 1930 is in the public domain, the modern version is not. So to avoid infringement, any reuse would need to steer clear of her newer characteristics. Additionally, the character is subject to multiple trademarks, which further complicates its use.
What’s entering the public domain in 2027?
Copyrighted works from 1931 will see their protections expire in 2027. This includes Universal Pictures’ “Frankenstein” and “Dracula” films, Charlie Chaplin’s “City Lights,” Fritz Lang’s “M,” Herman Hupfeld’s jazz standard “As Time Goes By” and more.
Travis Kelce’s harmless sport unfortunately proved to be harmful for a fan who was watching the golf match.
The 36-year-old Kansas City Chiefs tight end reportedly struck a woman hard on the 18th hole, who was left shaken by the hit.
The staff around the golf course at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am rushed to help the injured woman and Kelce soon joined them to ask her if she was alright.
The fan, who has been identified as Edenne Flinn, from Salinas, California, ensured the NFL star that she was alright, and he then signed an autograph for her.
The accident quickly went viral on social media, with fans attacking the sportsman over his neglectful shot which hurt a bystander.
Social media sleuths also brought up similar incidents happened in the past where Kelce left people “bloodied” due to his accidental shots.
One X user wrote, “Wait Travis Kelce played in a golf tournament this weekend & he hit a girl with one of his golf balls?? & all she got out of it was an autograph? & even more egregious is that it’s the 2nd time it’s happened??! He did the same thing a few years ago?”
Another added, “he should go back to the football field already,” while a third joked, “bro is treating the golf court like NFL drills chill out.”
On the other hand, many also appreciated the star athlete for going to check on the hurt fan right away.
Indian left-handed opening batter Abhishek Sharma joined the list of unwanted batters after enduring a disappointing outing, falling for a four-ball duck during a high-voltage ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash against arch-rival Pakistan.
The top-ranked T20I batter, who bagged a duck in India’s campaign opener against the United States of America (USA) before missing their subsequent group-stage fixture against Namibia due to illness, was slotted back into the playing XI for the high-octane clash.
Sharma, however, had a forgetful return as he perished for a four-ball duck, falling victim to Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha in the first over.
Consequently, he joined an unwanted list of Indian openers who bagged a duck against traditional rivals Pakistan in T20 World Cups, led by his head coach Gautam Gambhir, who suffered the outcome twice in the 2007 and 2012 editions.
The list also features India’s World Cup-winning captain, Rohit Sharma, who was trapped lbw for a golden duck by left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi during the traditional rivals’ meeting at the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Indian openers to bag a duck against Pakistan in T20 World Cups
- Gautam Gambhir – zero (three) in 2007
- Gautam Gambhir – zero (two) in 2012
- Rohit Sharma – zero (one) in 2021
- Abhishek Sharma – zero (four) in 2026.
Meanwhile, Pakistan suffered a 61-run defeat after accumulating only 114 before getting bowled out in 18 overs.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to field first did not prove beneficial for the Green Shirts as the Men in Blue accumulated 175/7 in their 20 overs.
King Charles and Queen Camilla took a moment away from palace life to celebrate two decades of craftsmanship at the 20th anniversary exhibition of Turquoise Mountain.
The event, held at The Garrison Chapel within Chelsea Barracks, highlighted artisans from Afghanistan, Jordan, Myanmar, Palestine and Saudi Arabia.
Among the demonstrations, Saudi palm weaver Fayza Al-Mansouri showcased her intricate technique to the King, who declared, “I’m so proud of you all,” and quizzed her on whether she had learned the craft from her mother.
The royal couple were later invited to participate themselves, applying the final touches of mother-of-pearl inlay to beautifully crafted Syrian jewellery boxes, each personalised with their ciphers.
Moataz Hammoush said seeing the King handle the delicate inlay was “a mix of pride and disbelief,” it had opened doors to markets and designers he could never have reached on his own.
At the exhibition, Mrs Stewart, representing the charity, paid tribute to the King’s vision: “This is the community, the monarch, that you have brought together. No one else who could have created this project.”
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