So are new copyright 95 years or 100 years? What other popular characters are now public domain?

What the law actually says For works published before 1978 with proper copyright formalities, the term is 95 years from the date of publication. So in 2025, works published in 1929 cross into public domain in the US. For works created after 1977, the term is the author's life plus 70 years — which for corporate owners effectively runs much longer through work-for-hire rules. The 95-year figure is the one that matters most for classic characters, because most of them were published works owned by studios and publishers, not individual authors. ## Who just became fair game Mickey Mouse — specifically the version from Steamboat Willie (1928) — entered US public domain at the start of 2024. That is the black-and-white, early version. Disney's later, color, gloved Mickey remains protected, so the line is narrow but real. Following the same 95-year clock, characters and stories from 1929 publications became free to use in 2025. That includes early Tintin, the first appearance of Popeye, and literary works from that year. The practical rule: the character as it appeared in that specific publication is free. Every addition made afterward — new traits, new designs, new stories — may still be protected. You can use the original; you cannot assume everything associated with the name is open. ## What this means if you want to build something Public domain is a real creative resource, not a legal technicality. Once a character clears the 95-year mark, you can use that version in your own work, remix it, build on it, and commercialize it — without licensing fees. The key disciplines are knowing exactly which version is free, staying inside those boundaries, and adding something genuinely original so your work stands on its own rather than just riding the coattail of the name. If you are a creator looking at public domain as a starting point, treat the freed material as a foundation, not a finished product. The characters that matter culturally earned that status because someone made them compelling. Your job is to make your version compelling for today.