Pluto The Dog, Betty Boop Among Properties Which Enter Public Domain In 2026

With a new year upon us in 2026 comes a new wave of properties entering the public domain. In the United States, copyrights for intellectual property remain in place for 95 years, that is if it was created before 1978. If it was created after that date, the license expires 70 years after the original creator’s death.  

This year, the Disney shorts The Picnic and The Chain Gang both entered the public domain. These featured the first appearance of Mickey Mouse’s dog, Pluto, meaning that version of the pooch is free to use. Additionally, Fleischer Studios’ Dizzy Dishes entered the public domain, which was the first appearance of Betty Boop. Plus, Agatha Christie’s novel The Murder at the Vicarage is now public, which is the first novel with detective Miss Marple. 

The following have all entered the public domain this year: 

• Disney’s The Chain Gang and The Picnic (first appearance of Pluto) 

• Fleischer Studios’ Dizzy Dishes (first appearance of Betty Boop) 

• Lewis Milestone’s All Quiet on the Western Front 

• John Murray Anderson’s King of Jazz 

• Victor Heerman’s Animal Crackers 

• Raoul Walsh’s The Big Trail 

• The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (first appearance of Miss Marple) 

• The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene (first appearance of Nancy Drew) and three follow-ups 

• The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper 

• First four months of Blondie comic strips by Chic Young 

• “But Not For Me,” music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin 

• “Georgia on My Mind,” music by Hoagy Carmichael, lyrics by Stuart Gorrell 

• “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” music by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, lyrics by Gus Kahn 

• “Livin’ in the Sunlight, Lovin’ in the Moonlight,” music by Al Sherman, lyrics by Al Lewis 

• Piet Mondrian’s “Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow” (painting) 

As years go own, more classic intellectual property will enter public domain, which means more original works for different creatives. While the visions of the original creators’ stories and characters could become diluted, hopefully it will allow for new and fresh takes on classic stories.