The new year is bringing new life to some classic works.
In the U.S., copyright protection expires after 95 years. That means a new group of films, books, songs, and characters has now entered the public domain — free for anyone to use, adapt, or build upon.
Among the newly available works are the 1930 Best Picture winner All Quiet on the Western Front, the song Georgia on My Mind, and the comic strip Blondie. Several well-known books are also now public domain, including The Little Engine That Could, the first four Nancy Drew novels, and Agatha Christie’s The Murder at the Vicarage.
“Artists and creators can use these works in their own creations without having an army of lawyers,” said Jennifer Jenkins, director of the Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain.
That kind of freedom has already led to major hits — including Wicked, which reimagines characters from The Wizard of Oz, first published in 1900.
In this job, we have the opportunity to meet truly remarkable people. The Sullivan family has faced incredibly tough times, but time and time again, turn their grieving into giving. What an honor to tell their story.
- Carrie Sharp
