Entering the Public Domain Jan 1, 2025 in the USA

 

The public domain grows richer in 2025, with a new group of valuable works that are free for everyone to use. From historical texts to iconic music and art, these additions are perfect for those looking to innovate without limits. Whether you’re creating content, developing products, or teaching, the public domain offers free resources that will enhance your projects and bring your ideas to life. Check out this 2025 collection and see where your creativity takes you.

In 2025, several notable works and characters are set to enter the public domain.
Several notable characters are set to enter the public domain in the United States in 2025:

1. Popeye the Sailor Man
2. Buck Rogers
3. Captain Easy
4. Tintin (from The Adventures of Tintin)
5. Olive Oyl (Popeye's girlfriend)
6. J. Wellington Wimpy (Popeye's friend)
7. Bluto (Popeye's nemesis)
8. Swee'Pea (Popeye's adopted child)
9. Wilma Deering (Buck Rogers' companion)
10. Dr. Huer (Buck Rogers' scientist friend)
11. Killer Kane (Buck Rogers' enemy)
12. Ardala Valmar (Buck Rogers' antagonist)
13. Black Barney (Buck Rogers' pirate character)
14. Snowy (Tintin's dog, also known as Milou)
15. Captain Haddock (Tintin's friend, though he may have appeared after 1929)
16. Professor Calculus (Tintin's friend, though he may have appeared after 1929)
17. Thomson and Thompson (Tintin's detective friends, though they may have appeared after 1929)

It's important to note that while these characters will enter the public domain, this applies only to their earliest appearances and depictions from 1929. Later versions or adaptations of these characters may still be under copyright protection. Additionally, trademark protections may still apply in some cases, so it's advisable to consult with legal experts before using these characters commercially.

Citations:
[1] https://www.visualcapitalist.com/next-characters-to-enter-the-public-domain/
[2] https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/entertainment/characters-in-public-domain-mickey-mouse-superman-batman-donald-duck/
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_in_public_domain
[4] https://globaltoynews.com/2023/07/27/donald-duck-superman-and-other-characters-entering-the-public-domain/
[5] https://buttondown.com/diversetechgeek/archive/10-major-cartoon-characters-entering-public/
[6] https://characterhub.com/blog/character-resources/public-domain-characters
[7] https://www.listchallenges.com/characters-in-the-public-domain
[8] https://comicvine.gamespot.com/profile/elderfingolfin/lists/best-public-domain-characters/18883

In 2025, several films from 1929 will enter the public domain. Here is an list of notable films expected to become public domain:

1. "The Broadway Melody" - The second film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
2. "The Cocoanuts" - A Marx Brothers talkie film.
3. "Hallelujah" - The first film with an all-Black cast.
4. "The Love Parade" - A musical comedy directed by Ernst Lubitsch.
5. "Applause" - A pre-Code musical drama directed by Rouben Mamoulian.
6. "The Virginian" - A Western film starring Gary Cooper.
7. "Disraeli" - A historical drama film starring George Arliss.
8. "The Letter" - A drama film based on a play by W. Somerset Maugham.
9. "The Manxman" - A silent drama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
10. "Blackmail" - Another Hitchcock film, often considered the first British sound feature.

These films, among others released in 1929, will enter the public domain due to the expiration of their copyright protection, allowing for free use and distribution without requiring permission or payment of royalties.

Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_in_public_domain
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States
[3] https://www.reddit.com/r/publicdomain/comments/1dvsl9x/noteable_works_entering_the_public_domain_in_2025/
[4] https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-01-04/rhapsody-in-blue-copyright-law
[5] https://www.allhallowsgeek.com/popeye-comes-to-the-public-domain-horror-space-in-2025-with-popeye-the-slayer-man/
[6] https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/mickey/
[7] https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/entertainment/characters-in-public-domain-mickey-mouse-superman-batman-donald-duck/
[8] https://insidethemagic.net/2024/06/disney-films-copyright-expires-2025-cj1/

Several notable animated works will enter the public domain in the United States on January 1, 2025. Here's an list of these animated works:

1. "The Barn Dance" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
2. "Plane Crazy" (Mickey Mouse cartoon with sound)
3. "The Opry House" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
4. "When the Cat's Away" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
5. "The Barnyard Battle" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
6. "The Plowboy" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
7. "The Karnival Kid" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
8. "Skeleton Dance" (first Silly Symphony cartoon)
9. "Mickey's Follies" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
10. "El Terrible Toreador" (Silly Symphony cartoon)
11. "Mickey's Choo-Choo" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
12. "The Jazz Fool" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
13. "Springtime" (Silly Symphony cartoon)
14. "Hell's Bells" (Silly Symphony cartoon)
15. "Jungle Rhythm" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
16. "The Haunted House" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)
17. "The Merry Dwarfs" (Silly Symphony cartoon)
18. "Wild Waves" (Mickey Mouse cartoon)

These animated works represent a significant portion of Disney's early animation catalog, including several Mickey Mouse cartoons and the first Silly Symphony cartoons. Their entry into the public domain will allow for new creative uses and adaptations of these classic animations[1].

It's important to note that while these specific works will enter the public domain, later versions or adaptations of the characters may still be under copyright protection. Additionally, Disney may still hold trademark rights to some elements of these characters[2][4].

Citations:
[1] https://insidethemagic.net/2024/06/disney-films-copyright-expires-2025-cj1/
[2] https://www.fastcompany.com/91005408/what-you-can-and-cant-do-with-mickey-mouse-now-that-its-in-the-public-domain
[3] https://buttondown.com/diversetechgeek/archive/10-major-cartoon-characters-entering-public/
[4] https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/mickey/
[5] https://reason.com/2024/01/01/mickey-mouse-is-now-in-the-public-domain-well-sort-of/
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws6zGQvA1AA
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/publicdomain/comments/18y65tc/what_and_how_mickey_mouse_cartoons_will_enter/
[8] https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/entertainment/characters-in-public-domain-mickey-mouse-superman-batman-donald-duck/

Here's a list of non-Disney animated works entering the public domain in 2025:

"Bosko the Talk-Ink Kid" - The first Looney Tunes cartoon
"Bosco's Parlor Pranks" - An early Looney Tunes cartoon
"Hot Dog" - A Mutt and Jeff cartoon
"The Skeleton Dance" - A Van Beuren Studios cartoon (not to be confused with Disney's Silly Symphony of the same name)
"Springtime" - A Aesop's Fables cartoon by Van Beuren Studios
"The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg" - An Aesop's Fables cartoon
"Dinnertime" - An Aesop's Fables cartoon
"Stage Struck" - An Aesop's Fables cartoon
"Presto Chango" - An Aesop's Fables cartoon
"The Haunted House" - A Fleischer Studios Talkartoon (not to be confused with the Disney cartoon of the same name)


Musical Compositions Entering Public Domain in 2025

George Gershwin Works
1. "Rhapsody in Blue" (first recording)
2. "An American in Paris"
3. "Someone to Watch Over Me"
4. "Fascinating Rhythm"
5. "Singin' in the Rain" (musical composition)

Jazz and Popular Music
1. "Ain't Misbehavin'" by Fats Waller and Harry Brooks
2. "Stardust" by Hoagy Carmichael (original instrumental)
3. "Tip-Toe Thru' the Tulips with Me" by Al Dubin and Joe Burke
4. "Happy Days Are Here Again" by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen
5. "Am I Blue?" by Harry Akst and Grant Clarke
6. "Puttin' on the Ritz" by Irving Berlin
7. "Honeysuckle Rose" by Fats Waller and Andy Razaf
8. "Makin' Whoopee" by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn
9. "Orange Blossom Special" by Ervin T. Rouse

Classical and Instrumental Works
1. "Bolero" by Maurice Ravel
2. "Erika" (German marching song)

Important Notes
- These works become public domain in the United States on January 1, 2025
- Copyright laws may differ in other countries
- Newer recordings or arrangements may still be under copyright protection

Here's a list of notable literary works entering the public domain in the United States in 2025:

1. "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner
2. "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
3. "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque (English translation)
4. "Red Harvest" by Dashiell Hammett
5. "The Roman Hat Mystery" by Ellery Queen
6. "Tarzan and the Lost Empire" by Edgar Rice Burroughs
7. "Rope" by Patrick Hamilton
8. "Toad of Toad Hall" by A. A. Milne
9. "A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf
10. "Look Homeward, Angel" by Thomas Wolfe
11. "The Maltese Falcon" by Dashiell Hammett
12. "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
13. "Goodbye to All That" by Robert Graves
14. "The Time of Man" by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
15. "Passing" by Nella Larsen
16. "The Case of Sergeant Grischa" by Arnold Zweig
17. "The Magic Island" by William Seabrook
18. "The Crime at Black Dudley" by Margery Allingham
19. "Gods' Man" by Lynd Ward
20. "Some Remarks on Logical Form" by Ludwig Wittgenstein
21. "Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz" by Ruth Plumly Thompson
22. The first part of the 14th edition of Encyclopædia Britannica

It's important to note that while these works will enter the public domain in the United States, copyright laws may vary in other countries. Additionally, while the original text enters the public domain, any later adaptations or translations may still be under copyright protection[1][2][3].

Citations:
[1] https://suchscience.net/public-domain-2025/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_in_public_domain
[3] https://standardebooks.org/blog/public-domain-day-2025
[4] https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-01-04/rhapsody-in-blue-copyright-law
[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/publicdomain/comments/1dvsl9x/noteable_works_entering_the_public_domain_in_2025/
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States
[7] https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/entertainment/characters-in-public-domain-mickey-mouse-superman-batman-donald-duck/
[8] https://www.loa.org/news-and-views/forthcoming-spring-2025/

Here's an list of ideas for using public domain resources to create products for sale and content:

1. T-shirts and apparel featuring:
   - Classic book covers
   - Famous paintings
   - Historical photographs
   - Vintage patent drawings
   - Iconic characters like Sherlock Holmes or Dracula

2. Phone cases with:
   - Artwork from old masters
   - Vintage advertisements
   - Historical maps
   - NASA space images

3. Home decor items:
   - Throw pillows with quotes from classic literature
   - Wall art featuring public domain images
   - Shower curtains with vintage botanical illustrations
   - Clocks with historical designs

4. Stationery and paper goods:
   - Notebooks with classic book covers
   - Postcards featuring vintage travel posters
   - Calendars with historical photographs
   - Greeting cards with famous artwork

5. Digital products:
   - E-books compiling public domain short stories or poems
   - Printable wall art
   - Digital scrapbooking kits using vintage ephemera
   - Fonts based on historical handwriting

6. Educational materials:
   - Flashcards featuring famous paintings or historical figures
   - Worksheets using public domain images and texts
   - Educational posters with patent drawings or scientific illustrations

7. Games and puzzles:
   - Jigsaw puzzles featuring famous artwork
   - Card games using public domain characters
   - Board games inspired by classic literature

8. Crafting supplies:
   - Printable patterns based on vintage designs
   - Digital stamps featuring public domain images
   - Embroidery patterns inspired by historical artwork

9. Music and audio products:
   - Remixes or covers of public domain songs
   - Audiobooks of classic literature
   - Meditation tracks using public domain music

10. Video content:
- YouTube videos analyzing public domain films
- Documentaries using historical footage and photographs
- Animated adaptations of classic stories

11. 3D printing designs:
- Models based on patent drawings
- Replicas of famous sculptures
- Architectural models of historical buildings

12. Food and beverage packaging:
- Coffee bags featuring vintage coffee advertisements
- Candy wrappers with classic art
- Tea tins with historical botanical illustrations

13. Jewelry and accessories:
- Pendants featuring miniature book covers
- Cufflinks with patent drawings
- Scarves printed with famous paintings

14. Pet products:
- Dog beds with vintage map designs
- Cat toys inspired by historical figures
- Pet bowls featuring classic art

15. Costumes and cosplay items:
- Outfits based on public domain characters
- Prop replicas from classic films
- Masks inspired by historical designs

16. Garden decor:
- Plant markers with vintage botanical illustrations
- Garden statues based on public domain sculptures
- Birdhouses inspired by historical architecture

17. Tech accessories:
- Laptop skins featuring famous artwork
- Mouse pads with vintage advertisements
- Keyboard decals with quotes from classic literature

18. Craft beer and wine labels:
- Labels featuring public domain artwork or characters
- Descriptions using quotes from classic literature

19. Customized gifts:
- Photo frames with vintage designs
- Personalized books incorporating public domain stories
- Engraved items with historical quotes or patent drawings

20. Virtual and augmented reality content:
- VR experiences exploring famous paintings
- AR apps bringing historical figures to life

Remember to always verify the copyright status of works before using them commercially, as laws may vary by country and some elements may still be protected by trademarks or other rights.

Citations:
[1] https://www.junglescout.com/blog/public-domain-products/
[2] https://suchscience.net/public-domain-2025/
[3] https://publicdomainreview.org/guide-to-finding-interesting-public-domain-works-online/
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_DUAPj2ci8
[5] https://www.nypl.org/research/resources/public-domain-collections
[6] https://library.guilford.edu/c.php?g=533073&p=4070547
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/Design/comments/62s4cg/what_are_some_of_the_best_public_domain_design/
[8] https://lib.murraystate.edu/businessoer/publicdomain/sources