When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform. The following is a list of creators whose works enter the public domain in 2035 under the most common copyright regimes, assuming no further extensions to copyright terms become law in the interim.

Countries with life + 70 years

Except for Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (which has a copyright term of Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1988), a work enters the public domain in Europe 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime. In addition, several other countries have a limit of 70 years. The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator.

NamesCountryDeathOccupationNotable work Dr. Atl Painter, writer Fernando Leal Painter, muralist, lithographer, engraver Bharathidasan Poet "Tamil Thai Valthu" Birinchi Kumar Barua Scholar, writer Carlos Brandt Writer Guru Dutt Film director Pyaasa Ian Fleming Writer James Bond Mushtaq Hussain Khan Musician Jawaharlal Nehru Politician An AutobiographyT. H. White17 January 1964AuthorThe Once and Future King

Countries with life + 60 years

In Bangladesh, India, and Venezuela a work enters the public domain 60 years after the creator's death.

NamesCountryDeathOccupationNotable work Jean Absil Composer Gilbert Archey Zoologist The Moa, a Study of the DinornithiformesMiguel Ángel Asturias Poet-diplomat El Señor Presidente Farid al-Atrash Composer Kurt Atterberg Composer Compositions H. E. Bates Writer The Darling Buds of May Erick Berry February 1974 Writer The Winged Girl of Knossos Bobby Bloom Singer-songwriter "Montego Bay" Hector Bolitho Writer Albert the Good and the Victorian Reign Buddhadeb Bosu 1974 Writer Rosario Castellanos Poet, novelist The Nine Guardians Nellie Coad Teacher, writer Phillis Emily Cunnington Physician, historian Handbook of English Mediaeval Costume Maurice Duggan Writer Summer in the Gravel Pit Duke Ellington Composer Duke Ellington discography Julius Evola Philosopher Revolt Against the Modern WorldAllal al-Fassi Writer The Independence Movements in Arab North Africa Dorothy Fields Film lyricist "The Way You Look Tonight" Louise Fitzhugh Writer Harriet the Spy Georgette Heyer Writer List of works by Georgette HeyerAli Ismael Composer Fida'iMarie Luise Kaschnitz Writer Menschen und Dinge 1945 Erich Kästner Poet, screenwriter Emil and the DetectivesMuhammad Ayub Khan Politician Books Whanki Kim Painter What Form, Shall We Meet Again? (어디서 무엇이 되어 다시 만나랴) Pär Lagerkvist Writer Barabbas Eve Langley Writer The Pea-Pickers Charles Lindbergh Aviator, writer "WE", The Spirit of St. Louis Eric Linklater Writer, poet The Wind on the Moon Walter Lippmann Writer Public Opinion Margaret MacPherson Writer, journalist A Symposium Against War P. Schuyler Miller Writer Henry de Monfreid Adventurer, writer Secrets of the Red Sea Stanley Mullen 1974 Artist, writer Kinsmen of the Dragon Leslie Munro Politician, writer United Nations: Hope for a Divided World Douglas Robb 1974 Physician, writer Medical Odyssey David Alfaro Siqueiros Painter, muralist Portrait of the Bourgeoisie (1939–1940), The March of Humanity (1957–1971) William Sloane Writer To Walk the Night Zaharia Stancu Writer Through the Ashes of the Empire Sheila Stuart 1974 Writer Alison's Highland Holiday Jacqueline Susann Writer Valley of the Dolls Sándor Szathmári Writer, mechanical engineer Kazohinia Writer, translator English translation of The Phenomenon of Man Robert Charles Zaehner Scholar Zurvan, Mysticism, Our Savage God

Countries with life + 50 years

In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia, New Zealand, Egypt and Uruguay, a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.

NamesCountryDeathOccupationNotable work Vicente Aleixandre Poet Julio Cortázar Writer Bibliography Marvin Gaye Singer-songwriter Discography Michail Sholokhov Novelist And Quiet Flows the Don François Truffaut Filmmaker Filmography

Countries with life + 80 years

Spain has a copyright term of life + 80 years for creators that died before 1988. In Colombia and Equatorial Guinea, a work enters the public domain 80 years after the creator's death.

NamesCountryDeathOccupationNotable work Jacinto Benavente Dramatist The Unloved Woman Tomás Carreras i Artau Philosopher, ethnologist Juan Chabás Writer, poet Sueño Perseguido María Goyri Hispanist, literary critic Santiago Martínez Delgado Painter, sculptor, art historian, writer Mural at the Capitolio Nacional Matilde Muñoz Barberi Writer El Amante Infinito Eugenio d'Ors Writer Manual del librero español e hispanoamericano Antoni Palau i Dulcet Writer, journalist, philosopher, art critic

United States

Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1939, films released in 1939, and other works published in 1939 will enter the public domain in 2035. Sound recordings published in 1934 and unpublished works whose authors died in 1964 will also enter the public domain.

The most famous films entering the public domain in 2035 are two adaptations directed by Victor Fleming: MGM's The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland, and Selznick International's Best Picture Academy Award winner Gone with the Wind starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, both of which have been celebrated for their innovative use of Technicolor and are widely considered to be among the greatest motion pictures of all time. The former film is the more significant entrant because of its widespread influence in popular culture; its entry will bring along the film's trademark designs and portrayals for L. Frank Baum's world and characters as well as its entire incidental and song score, including its signature song "Over the Rainbow". Also entering the public domain are multiple Hollywood films that are considered classics among their respective genres: Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington with Jean Arthur and James Stewart, Sam Wood's Goodbye, Mr. Chips with Robert Donat, John Ford's Stagecoach starring John Wayne, Dark Victory with Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, Ernst Lubitsch's Ninotchka starring Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas, Hal Roach's Of Mice and Men adaptation with Burgess Meredith, and William Wyler's adaptation of Wuthering Heights with Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier.

Other notable films entering the public domain this year include Basil Rathbone's two Sherlock Holmes films for 20th Century Fox and his Universal Monsters film Son of Frankenstein co-starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, Alfred Hitchcock's thriller Jamaica Inn with Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara, Jean Renoir's The Rules of the Game, Jesse James starring Tyrone Power and Henry Fonda, Busby Berkeley's Babes in Arms starring Garland and Mickey Rooney, Dodge City starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, George Cukor's The Women, Ford's Drums Along the Mohawk with Fonda and Claudette Colbert, Michael Curtiz's The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, William Dieterle's adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Charles Laughton, Condemned To Be Shot (one of the earliest television films), Hugh Harman's animated short film Peace on Earth, the final Betty Boop cartoons, and Walt Disney's last Silly Symphony short The Ugly Duckling. The first animated appearances of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their modern character designs, including The Pointer, will also enter the public domain, along with the debut shorts of MGM's cartoon character Barney Bear and Walter Lantz's character Andy Panda.

Important literary works that will enter the public domain in 2035 include James Joyce's final work Finnegans Wake, John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath, Agatha Christie's crime novel And Then There Were None, Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep introducing Philip Marlowe, Richard Llewellyn's novel How Green Was My Valley, Dr. Seuss's books The King's Stilts and The Seven Lady Godivas, Ernest Vincent Wright's novel Gadsby, Stanley G. Weinbaum's post-apocalyptic novel The Black Flame, the science fiction short stories I, Robot by Eando Binder and Marooned off Vesta by Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein's short story Life-Line, T. S. Eliot's poetry book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (the source material for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats), Joseph Kesselring's play Arsenic and Old Lace, C.S. Lewis and E. M. W. Tillyard's book of essays The Personal Heresy, Lindsay and Crouse's Life with Father, J. B. Priestley's novel Let the People Sing, Jorge Luis Borges' short story Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote in its original Spanish, Hergé's Tintin story King Ottokar's Sceptre (including the first appearance of the opera singer Bianca Castafiore) in its original French black-and-white version, and the children's books Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys by H. A. Rey (which introduced the monkey character now known as Curious George) in its original French, The Twisted Claw and The Clue of the Tapping Heels from the Stratemeyer Syndicate's The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series in their original editions, and Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans. The first comic books of DC Comics' Batman, as well as the first comic books by Marvel Comics featuring the company's first and oldest superhero Namor and the original character of the Human Torch (not to be confused with Johnny Storm, a member of the Fantastic Four who were introduced much later), will also become public domain in 2035. The same will happen for the Disney comic strips introducing Mickey's recurring enemy, The Phantom Blot; for the booklet from the Montgomery Ward department store chain that introduced the character of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, who would later become the focus of a popular Christmas song; and for the premiere issues of The Kenyon Review, Startling Stories, Poetry London and Famous Fantastic Mysteries.

Works from 1939 that were already in the public domain for lacking proper copyright renewal or bearing invalid notices include Leo McCarey's Love Affair with Irene Dunne, Dave Fleischer's animated feature film Gulliver's Travels, various Merrie Melodies cartoons including Prest-O Change-O with the second prototype appearance of Bugs Bunny, the first comics of DC's pulp hero Sandman, and various comics by Fox Feature Syndicate including those debuting the original incarnation of Blue Beetle (who would much later become a DC character himself), Stardust the Super Wizard from Fantastic Comics, The Flame, and the Golden Age Wonder Man. It should also be noted that in addition to Marvel's first comics, Namor also appeared in another company's comic called Motion Picture Funnies Weekly from the same year, which was not renewed; if that book was published first, that would make the character already public domain.https://comicsarcheology.com/index.php/2023/11/09/marvel-comics-1-namor/

Artworks entering the public domain include Salvador Dalí's The Enigma of Hitler, Edward Hopper's Cape Cod Evening, Frida Kahlo's oil painting The Two Fridas, and Fernand Leger's Adam and Eve.

Popular songs entering the public domain include "Moonlight Serenade", "God Bless America", "We'll Meet Again", "If I Didn't Care", "What's New?", and the nursery song "I'm A Little Teapot". Sergei Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky will also become public domain in the United States this year, alongside the original composition of Solomon Linda's "Mbube", which would later be evolved into “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”.

See also List of American films of 1939 1939 in literature 1939 in music 1964 in literature and 1984 in literature for deaths of writers Public Domain Day Creative Commons

Notes

References

External links

Popular Books of 1939 at Goodreads