It's a new year, and that means a new crop of iconic characters—some more than others—entering the public domain. According to Title 17 of the United States Code, once 95 years have passed since the creation of any "anonymous work,

It’s a new year, and that means more works are headed to the public domain. This year, thousands of copyrighted works created in 1929, including the earliest versions of Popeye and the Belgian comic book character Tintin, are now free to reuse and repurpose in the US.

"Singin' in the Rain"? The title track from the hit play and movie entered the public domain Wednesday alongside a bevy of other songs, characters and literature first published in the mid-1920s.

The copyrights of thousands of 20th-century films, books, compositions and sound recordings expire on Jan. 1, making them free for anyone to share and adapt. Here are some of the highlights.

Public Domain Day, meaning artworks from 1929 (or 1924 in the case of sound recordings) are now free for all creators to use and abuse to their hearts' content. The works of art, music, literature, and film now entering the public domain will be yours,

A new year means a new start and for some pieces of media, it also means entering the public domain. In 2024, one of the most famous additions to the public domain was the first iteration of Mickey Mouse,

Walt Disney directed the iconic Skeleton Dance short animated by Ub Iwerks, as well as when Mickey Mouse starred in his first talkie. The intrepid Tintin and original Popeye characters have arrived in the public domain as well.

Tintin and more iterations of Mickey Mouse are also free to use and adapt. Watch the Spinach: Popeye Sails His Way Into Public Domain Eddie Fu