A new year means that several American copyrights expire - which means that old films, books and songs can get a new lease of life. Karl-Alfred, Betty Boop, Agatha Christie's book "The Parsonage Murders" and the short film "Mickey Mouse in the Green" are cultural creations whose copyrights have expired as of January 1, 2026.
This is the first time that works from the 1930s are now being released to the public.
In the past, the freedom to create new works around old classics has made headlines, such as when a horror film was made with Winnie the Pooh. The good-natured and honey-loving bear was transformed into a murderous version in the film "Winnie the Pooh - blood and honey".
