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Creative Bloq
Creative Bloq
Technology
Tom May

I can't believe all these pop-culture icons come out of copyright in 2026

Betty Boop Nancy Drew Pluto
A black-and-white still from an animated cartoon shows Betty Boop standing on a bed, looking down at Pudgy (a dog character) who is dressed as a waiter and presenting a platter with a roasted bird.

Yes, I know next year is still a fair way off. But I'm already obsessing over what enters the public domain in 2026. Because I truly think this is a big deal. Betty Boop. Nancy Drew. The Maltese Falcon. Pluto. The Three Stooges. Agatha Christie's first Miss Marple novel. These aren't forgotten relics. These are proper cultural icons.

On 1 January 2026, they're walking free from their current owners. And as someone who makes things for a living, I'm both thrilled and absolutely terrified.

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