Works entering the public domain in 2025 include the first appearances of Tintin and Popeye, films in which Mickey Mouse talks, and books by Hemingway, Faulkner, Virginia Woolf, and more.
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.
Jan. 1 marks the dawn of a new era for Popeye and Tintin. It's the day the nonagenarian cartoon characters officially enter the U.S. public domain along with a treasure trove of other iconic works.