Betty Boop Is Finally Free — and 2026 Could Change Pop Culture Forever

Two of America’s most recognizable pop culture icons are officially free for creative reuse. Betty Boop and Blondie entered the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2026, after reaching the maximum 95-year copyright limit. The milestone places them alongside other legendary characters such as Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, whose earliest works have also recently become free for public use.

What It Means to Enter the Public Domain

When a work enters the public domain, creators can legally reuse, adapt, remix, and reinterpret it without permission or licensing fees. For artists, filmmakers, writers, and educators, Public Domain Day represents a major expansion of creative freedom.

“This is a big year,” said Jennifer Jenkins, director of Duke University’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain, noting the cultural familiarity of the works released in 2026. She described this year’s additions as a snapshot of the fragile, transitional era between World War I and the Great Depression.

Betty Boop’s Surprising Origins

Betty Boop first appeared in the 1930 animated short Dizzy Dishes, produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. While the flapper icon is now famous for her jazz-age glamour, her earliest version was notably different. In her debut, Betty appeared as a canine character with floppy ears and a black nose—features that later evolved into earrings and her signature look. She was originally a supporting character to Bimbo, an anthropomorphic dog, but quickly outshone him and became a cultural phenomenon. While creators are now free to use the earliest version of Betty Boop in new stories, her trademark remains protected. This means merchandise and branding rights are still restricted, even as creative reinterpretations are allowed.

Blondie Joins the Public Domain

Blondie, created by cartoonist Chic Young, also debuted in 1930. The comic strip originally followed Blondie Boopadoop, a carefree flapper navigating modern life with her boyfriend Dagwood Bumstead. The strip later evolved into a domestic comedy after the couple married in 1933, becoming one of the longest-running comic strips in history. While later versions of Blondie remain under copyright, its earliest iterations are now open for public use.

A Growing Public Domain Wave

The 2026 public domain class includes far more than cartoons and comics. Early appearances of Pluto (then called Rover), iconic detective novels featuring Nancy Drew, Sam Spade, and Miss Marple, and classic films such as All Quiet on the Western Front are also now freely accessible. Music lovers benefit as well, with timeless songs like George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” and “Embraceable You” joining the public domain. As copyright extensions fade into history, experts say the next decade will bring a surge of Golden Age Hollywood films and beloved literary works into public ownership—opening the door to a new era of cultural reinvention.