Thousands of films, books, music, and other cultural works from the year 1930 are scheduled to enter the public domain in the United States on January 1, 2026. This transition, occurring 95 years after their creation, will allow for the free use, adaptation, and sharing of these materials without the need for licensing or permission.
Public Domain Transition
Under U.S. copyright law, a substantial collection of creative works from 1930 will become publicly accessible. This includes a wide array of media such as animated characters, literature, films, musical compositions, and artworks, as their 95-year copyright protections expire.
Jennifer Jenkins, director of Duke University Law School's Center for the Study of the Public Domain, annually compiles lists of works entering the public domain. The Center's team dedicated over 80 hours to researching archives and an additional two weeks to preparing the online summary for the upcoming 2026 entrants.
Notable Works Entering the Public Domain
The works scheduled to transition into the public domain on January 1, 2026, include:
- Animated Characters: The original depiction of Betty Boop, initially characterized by floppy dog ears, and the early version of Disney's Pluto, which was first known as Rover.
- Literature: William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying, the complete version of Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon, Watty Piper's The Little Engine that Could, the first four books of the Nancy Drew detective series, and Agatha Christie's initial Miss Marple mystery, The Murder at the Vicarage.
- Films: Productions by directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hughes, and Salvador DalÃ. Specific titles include All Quiet on the Western Front, Animal Crackers starring the Marx Brothers, Cimarron (recipient of the 1931 best picture award), and Marlene Dietrich's Morocco and The Blue Angel. Early career appearances by actors like Bing Crosby in King of Jazz, Greta Garbo in Anna Christie, and John Wayne in The Big Trail are also part of this group. These films predate the Hays Code, a set of motion picture industry guidelines that were enforced from 1934 to 1968.
- Music: Musical compositions such as "Georgia on my Mind," "Dream a Little Dream of Me," and four songs by Ira and George Gershwin: "I Got Rhythm," "I've Got a Crush on You," "But Not for Me," and "Embraceable You."
- Artworks: Piet Mondrian's "Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow" and Abel Lafleur's Jules Rimet Cup, which served as the original FIFA World Cup trophy from 1930 to 1970.
Implications of Public Domain Entry
The transition of these works into the public domain is anticipated to have several impacts, enhancing accessibility and facilitating new creative endeavors:
- Creative Adaptation: Creators will be able to adapt these characters, narratives, and musical compositions without needing permission or paying licensing fees. For instance, a Betty Boop horror movie is reportedly in development. This contrasts with previous adaptations, such as a 2007 Nancy Drew film or a Betty Boop musical, which necessitated licensing agreements. Historical examples of such adaptations include West Side Story, based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, and Wicked, inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
- Increased Accessibility and Preservation: Public domain status typically leads to a reduction in the cost of books and an increase in available editions. Many works from the 1930s that have been out of print for decades or unavailable online due to complex ownership structures can now become more widely accessible. Furthermore, third parties will gain the ability to digitize and preserve old films and sound recordings that have physically deteriorated over time. Organizations like community theaters and youth orchestras can utilize these works without licensing agreements.
- Educational Use: These resources will become freely available for educators, expanding the range of historical and cultural materials accessible for school curricula.
Additional Works Entering Public Domain
In addition to the works from 1930, sound recordings from the year 1925 are also scheduled to enter the public domain in 2026, subject to their specific protection periods.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Jennifer Jenkins has highlighted that works created in 1930 are products of human authorship. In the context of contemporary copyright law, human authorship is generally considered a prerequisite for a work to be protected, meaning works generated by artificial intelligence typically do not qualify for copyright protection.