On January 1, 2022, the original Winnie-the-Pooh book fell into the public domain. That means any individual or corporation can now use the bear in new books or movies without paying a licensing fee to Disney, which has controlled the copyright to the character since the 1960s.
The next day, actor Ryan Reynolds marked the occasion with a YouTube ad for his wireless company, Mint Mobile. Reynolds read from a new book called Winnie-the-Screwed, about a bear who was paying too much for wireless service. "Like anyone with a big wireless plan, Winnie-the-Screwed just wants to keep some of his sweet, sweet money," the book said. "But his money jar gets emptier and emptier with every monthly bill."
