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2025 in public domain

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Worldwide map of copyright term length

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of works is not uniform. The following lists list creators whose works entered the public domain in 2025 under the most common copyright regimes.

Countries with life + 50 years

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

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Jean Absil Belgium 23 October 1893 2 February 1974 Composer
Gilbert Archey New Zealand 4 August 1890 20 October 1974 Zoologist The Moa, a Study of the Dinornithiformes
Miguel Ángel Asturias Guatemala 19 October 1899 9 June 1974 Poet-diplomat El Señor Presidente
Farid al-Atrash Egypt 1917 26 December 1974 Composer
Kurt Atterberg Sweden 12 December 1887 15 February 1974 Composer Compositions
H. E. Bates United Kingdom 16 May 1905 29 January 1974 Writer The Darling Buds of May
Erick Berry United States 4 January 1892 February 1974 Writer The Winged Girl of Knossos
Bobby Bloom United States 15 January 1946 28 February 1974 Singer-songwriter "Montego Bay"
Hector Bolitho New Zealand 28 May 1897 12 September 1974 Writer Albert the Good and the Victorian Reign
Buddhadeb Bosu Bangladesh 1908 1974 Writer
Jorge Camargo Spolidore Colombia June 1912 29 January 1974 Composer "Chatica Linda"
Rosario Castellanos Mexico 25 May 1925 7 August 1974 Poet, novelist The Nine Guardians
Nellie Coad New Zealand 15 October 1883 6 September 1974 Teacher, writer
Phillis Emily Cunnington United Kingdom 1 November 1887 24 October 1974 Physician, historian Handbook of English Mediaeval Costume
Maurice Duggan New Zealand 25 November 1922 11 December 1974 Writer Summer in the Gravel Pit
Duke Ellington United States 29 April 1899 24 May 1974 Composer Duke Ellington discography
Julius Evola Italy 19 May 1898 11 June 1974 Philosopher Revolt Against the Modern World
Allal al-Fassi Morocco 10 January 1910 13 May 1974 Writer The Independence Movements in Arab North Africa
Dorothy Fields United States 15 July 1904 28 March 1974 Film lyricist "The Way You Look Tonight"
Louise Fitzhugh United States 5 October 1928 19 November 1974 Writer Harriet the Spy
Georgette Heyer United Kingdom 16 August 1902 4 July 1974 Writer List of works by Georgette Heyer
Ali Ismael Egypt 28 December 1922 16 June 1974 Composer Fida'i
Marie Luise Kaschnitz Germany 31 January 1901 10 October 1974 Writer Menschen und Dinge 1945
Erich Kästner Germany 23 February 1899 29 July 1974 Poet, screenwriter Emil and the Detectives
Muhammad Ayub Khan Pakistan 14 May 1907 19 April 1974 Politician Books
Pär Lagerkvist Sweden 23 May 1891 11 July 1974 Writer Barabbas
Eve Langley New Zealand 1 September 1904 1 June 1974 Writer The Pea-Pickers
Charles Lindbergh United States 4 February 1902 26 August 1974 Aviator, writer "WE", The Spirit of St. Louis
Eric Linklater United Kingdom 8 March 1899 7 November 1974 Writer, poet The Wind on the Moon
Walter Lippmann United States 23 September 1889 14 December 1974 Writer Public Opinion
Margaret MacPherson New Zealand 19 June 1895 14 September 1974 Writer, journalist A Symposium Against War
P. Schuyler Miller United States 21 February 1912 13 October 1974 Writer
Henry de Monfreid France 14 November 1879 13 December 1974 Adventurer, writer Secrets of the Red Sea
Stanley Mullen United States 20 June 1911 1974 Artist, writer Kinsmen of the Dragon
Leslie Munro New Zealand 26 February 1901 13 February 1974 Politician, writer United Nations: hope for a divided world
Douglas Robb New Zealand 1899 1974 Physician, writer Medical Odyssey
David Alfaro Siqueiros Mexico 29 December 1896 6 January 1974 Painter, muralist Portrait of the Bourgeoisie (1939–1940), The March of Humanity (1957–1971)
William Sloane United States 15 August 1906 25 September 1974 Writer To Walk the Night
Zaharia Stancu Romania 7 October 1902 5 December 1974 Writer Through the Ashes of the Empire
Sheila Stuart United Kingdom 1892 1974 Writer Alison's Highland Holiday
Jacqueline Susann United States 20 August 1918 21 September 1974 Writer Valley of the Dolls
Sándor Szathmári Hungary 29 June 1897 16 July 1974 Writer, mechanical engineer Kazohinia
Whanki Kim South Korea 3 April 1913 25 July 1974 Painter What Form, Shall We Meet Again? (어디서 무엇이 되어 다시 만나랴)
Robert Charles Zaehner United Kingdom 8 April 1913 24 November 1974 Scholar Zurvan, Mysticism, Our Savage God

Countries with life + 60 years

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See also: 2025 in Indian public domain

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

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Dr. Atl Mexico 3 October 1875 15 August 1964 Painter, writer
Fernando Leal Mexico 26 February 1896 7 October 1964 Painter, muralist, lithographer, engraver
Bharathidasan India 29 April 1891 21 April 1964 Poet "Tamil Thai Valthu"
Birinchi Kumar Barua India 16 October 1908 30 March 1964 Scholar, writer
Carlos Brandt Venezuela 11 October 1875 27 February 1964 Writer
Guru Dutt India 9 July 1925 10 October 1964 Film director Pyaasa
Ian Fleming United Kingdom 28 May 1908 12 August 1964 Writer James Bond
Mushtaq Hussain Khan India 1878 13 August 1964 Musician
Jawaharlal Nehru India 14 November 1889 27 May 1964 Politician An Autobiography

Countries with life + 70 years

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The art of Henri Matisse (left) and Frida Kahlo (right) entered the public domain in Europe in 2025; however, at this time, Kahlo's works remained copyrighted in her native Mexico.
See also: Works that entered the public domain in countries with life + 50 years in 2005

Except for Belarus (Life + 50 years)[1] 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.[2][3] The same term applies in much of South America, and parts of western Africa. As such, the works of all authors who died in 1954 entered the European public domain in 2025.

Two of the most important authors whose works entered the European public domain in 2025 were Henri Matisse, one of the most revolutionary artists of the early 20th century and a key figure in multiple art movements; and Frida Kahlo, arguably the most recognized Mexican painter. At this time, the latter's works remained copyrighted in her native country. Other significant examples of authors whose works entered the public domain included actor and film director Lionel Barrymore (already partially public domain in his native United States), architects Auguste Perret and William Van Alen (the respective designers of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris and the Chrysler Building in New York City), cartoonists Bud Fisher and George McManus, Italian composers Franco Alfano and Achille Longo, German composers Walter Braunfels and Herms Niel, Austrian composer Fred Raymond, American composers Charles Ives and Arthur Johnston (the latter of whom wrote "Cocktails for Two"), Man with a Movie Camera director Dziga Vertov, founding father of Chinese cinema Zhang Shichuan (already public domain in his native China), French painters André Derain and Jacques Gachot [fr], Portuguese sculptor Maximiano Alves, gospel blues musician Washington Phillips, Lost Horizon author James Hilton, British novelist Francis Brett Young, Gigi author Colette, German author of the Dr. Mabuse novels Norbert Jacques, German writer and filmmaker Thea von Harbou, Italian writer Enrico Cavacchioli [it], American novelist Maxwell Bodenheim, and Australian writer Miles Franklin. Spanish writer Jacinto Benavente's works also entered the public domain in European countries other than his native Spain. The publications of mathematicians Gino Loria and Alan Turing and physicist Enrico Fermi also entered the public domain, along with an experimental film by the inventor of the cinematograph, Auguste Lumière.

Countries with life + 80 years

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See also: Works that entered the public domain in countries with life + 70 years in 2015

Spain has a copyright term of life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987. In Colombia and Equatorial Guinea, a work enters the public domain 80 years after the creator's death.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Joaquín Álvarez Quintero Spain 20 January 1873 14 June 1944 Playwright
Miguel Asín Palacios Spain 5 July 1871 12 August 1944 Scholar El Islam cristianizado
Manuel Chaves Nogales Spain 7 August 1879 8 May 1944 Writer, journalist Juan Belmonte, matador de toros; su vida y sus hazañas
Enrique Díez Canedo Spain 7 January 1879 6 June 1944 Poet
Francisco Gómez-Jordana Sousa Spain 1 February 1876 3 August 1944 Politician Milicia y Diplomacia: Diarios Del Conde de Jordana, 1936–1944
Elías Mauricio Soto Uribe Colombia 22 September 1858 11 October 1944 Instrumentalist
Antonio Videgain Spain 10 March 1869 9 February 1944 Composer

Russia

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See also: Copyright law of Russia

Russia has a copyright term of life + 70 years in general, with two special provisions:

  • extra 4 years for those who fought in or worked during the so-called Great Patriotic War in 1941–1945, and/or
  • copyright term starting from the date of rehabilitation for unlawfully prosecuted and posthumously rehabilitated.

1954 marks the first large wave of posthumous rehabilitations.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Pavel Bazhov Soviet Union 27 January 1879 3 December 1950 Writer The Malachite Box
Yustin Djanelidze Soviet Union 1 August 1883 14 January 1950 Doctor A case of the repair of an injury of the ascending aorta
Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky Soviet Union 11 February 1887 28 December 1950 Writer The New Gulliver
Andrey Kryachkov Soviet Union 24 November 1876 25 August 1950 Architect 100-Flat Building
Nikolai Luzin Soviet Union 9 December 1883 28 February 1950 Mathematician Lusin's theorem
Nikolai Myaskovsky Soviet Union 20 April 1881 8 August 1950 Composer List of compositions by Nikolai Myaskovsky
Antonina Nezhdanova Soviet Union 16 June 1873 26 June 1950 Singer Vocalise
Vladimir Sorin [de] Soviet Union 1893 October 1944 Historian Lenin in the Brest days
Viktor Vesnin Soviet Union 9 April 1882 17 September 1950 Architect Palace of Culture of the Proletarsky district, Moscow

Australia and Canada

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See also: Copyright law of Australia and Copyright law of Canada

In 2004 copyright in Australia changed from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, in line with the United States and the European Union. But the change was not made retroactive (unlike the 1995 change in the European Union which brought some (British and possibly other) authors back into copyright, especially those who died from 1925 to 1944). Hence, the work of an author who died before 1955 is normally in the public domain in Australia; but the copyright of authors was extended to 70 years after death for those who died in 1955 or later, and no more Australian authors would come out of copyright until 1 January 2026 (those who died in 1955).[4]

Similarly, Canada amended its Copyright Act in 2022 from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, coming into force on December 30, 2022, but does not revive expired copyright.[5][6] No more new Canadian authors will come out of copyright until 1 January 2043 (those who died in 1972). Crown copyright was not changed, thus any government works published in 1974 entered the public domain in 2025.[7]

United States

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See also: Public domain in the United States
An overview of media that entered the public domain in the United States in 2025.
The original version of Tintin (seen here with his dog Snowy) was among the characters who entered the public domain in the United States in 2025.

Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books and other works published in 1929 and films released in 1929 entered the public domain in 2025.[8][9] Unpublished works whose authors died in 1954 also entered the public domain.[8] The character Captain Easy,[10] Popeye the Sailor Man,[a] Disney's Horace Horsecollar, and Hergé's Tintin entered the public domain through their respective debut appearances in 2025.[11][b] The same happened for the first Tarzan strips illustrated by Hal Foster.[10] On the other hand, the character Buck Rogers (who also first appeared in U.S. newspapers the same year) was already in the public domain as his first strips failed to have their copyrights renewed, despite claims to the contrary.[12]

Two notable music compositions that entered the public domain in 2025 were George Gershwin's An American in Paris and Maurice Ravel's Boléro; though composed in 1928, they were not published until 1929.[12] Among the popular songs that entered the public domain that year were Fats Waller's song "Ain't Misbehavin'", Cole Porter's song "What Is This Thing Called Love?", the musical number "Singin' in the Rain", "Tip Toe Through the Tulips", "Happy Days Are Here Again", "Am I Blue?", "You Were Meant For Me",[12] "Honeysuckle Rose" (also written by Waller), "Can't We Be Friends?", and "Without A Song".[13] Sound recordings that were published in 1924 also entered the public domain,[8] including the first recordings of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, Jelly Roll Morton's "King Porter Stomp", Irving Berlin's songs "Lazy"[12] and "What'll I Do?",[13] "It Had to Be You", "California, Here I Come",[12] and "Somebody Loves Me".[13]

The Broadway Melody, MGM's first musical film and the winner of the second Academy Award for Best Picture, entered the public domain in 2025.

Notable films that entered the public domain in 2025 included the following:[12][13]

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

Significant literary works entering the public domain included Ernest Hemingway's novel A Farewell to Arms, Virginia Woolf's essay A Room of One's Own, William Faulkner's novel The Sound and the Fury, Oliver La Farge's novel Laughing Boy, Walter Lippmann's A Preface to Morals, James Thurber's Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do (co-written by E. B. White), Robert Graves' autobiography Good-Bye to All That, Patrick Hamilton's play Rope, Richard Hughes' A High Wind in Jamaica, John Steinbeck's first novel Cup of Gold, Dashiell Hammett's novel Red Harvest and the original serialized version of his Maltese Falcon, the first English translation of Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, Agatha Christie's crime novel The Seven Dials Mystery, The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen,[12] Alfred Döblin's novel Berlin Alexanderplatz in its original German, S. S. Van Dine's detective novel The Scarab Murder Case, Sinclair Lewis' novel Dodsworth, the children's book Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field, Thomas Wolfe's novel Look Homeward, Angel, Jean Cocteau's novel Les Enfants Terribles in its original French, and William Seabrook's novel The Magic Island, the first book to introduce the concept of a zombie.[13]

Important artworks that entered the public domain included Salvador Dalí's paintings The Great Masturbator and The Accommodations of Desire, Wassily Kandinsky's painting Upward, Edward Hopper's painting Chop Suey, Kawamura Kiyoo's painting Founding of the Nation, Julio Romero de Torres' painting La Fuensanta, M. C. Escher's print Strada di Scanno, the first design of the Barcelona chair, and August Sander's photograph Berlin Coal Carrier and other photographs from his 1929 photobook Face of our Time. The public domain status of René Magritte's painting The Treachery of Images is contentious.[needs update][12]

Worldwide

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On February 25, 2025, it was announced that the 3D printing computer model 3DBenchy will enter the public domain through a CC0-license.[14][15]

A 3D printable computer model of the sculpture Best Friends Forever in which Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein are holding hands is released into the public domain.[16]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Of those Thimble Theatre strips from 1929 that Popeye appears in, only his debut strip had its copyright renewed properly by King Features Syndicate.
  2. ^ Tintin was not published in the United States until 1959; therefore, the American localization of his character will remain under copyright until 2055.

References

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  1. ^ Law 194-3 of 11 August 1998
  2. ^ "EU Extends Copyright Term To 70 Years | Billboard". Billboard.biz. 2011-09-12. Archived from the original on 2013-01-06. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  3. ^ "EUR-Lex – 32006L0116 – EN – EUR-Lex". eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  4. ^ "How long does copyright last?". National Library of Australia. Archived from the original on 20 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  5. ^ "An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022 and other measures". Parliament of Canada. 2022-06-23. Archived from the original on 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  6. ^ "PC Number: 2022-1219". Government of Canada. 2022-11-17. Archived from the original on 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  7. ^ "Crown Copyright - FAQ". Government of Canada. www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Hirtle, Peter B. (3 January 2020). "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States". Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Copyright and the Public Domain". Public Domain Information Project. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  10. ^ a b "Public Domain: Mickey and More in '24 - The Daily Cartoonist". www.dailycartoonist.com. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  11. ^ "Eat Your Spinach with a Side of Public Domain". Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library. 2021-03-26. Archived from the original on 2021-03-26. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h "Public Domain Day 2025 | Duke University School of Law". Archived from the original on 2025-01-02. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
  13. ^ Frey, Shawn. "3DBenchy Is 'Public Domain' Now". all3dp.com/. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  14. ^ Posch, Maya. "3DBenchy Sets Sail Into The Public Domain". hackaday.com/. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  15. ^ Handshake, The Secret. "Trump & Epstein - 'Best Friends Forever' Statue (miniature)". www.printables.com. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
[edit]
  • Media related to Public Domain Day 2025 at Wikimedia Commons
  • "Authors by Year of Death – 1954". AuthorAndBookInfo.com.
  • Popular Books of 1929 at Goodreads
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