Thousands of cultural works from 1930 entered the public domain on January 1, 2026, when their copyrights expired after nearly a century. The collection includes the original Betty Boop, teen sleuth Nancy Drew, Disney’s first Pluto character (called Rover), and literary classics like William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying and Agatha Christie’s The Murder at the Vicarage. Films joining public domain include All Quiet on the Western Front, Animal Crackers starring the Marx Brothers, and films featuring early appearances by future stars like Bing Crosby and John Wayne. Musical compositions like “Georgia on My Mind” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me” will also become freely available. Jennifer Jenkins from Duke University Law School’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain says “I think this is my favorite crop of works yet.” Her team spent over 500 hours compiling the annual list. (Story URL)
