When do Superman and Batman enter the public domain? Exploring what it would mean for the characters

As iconic characters approach the threshold of entering the public domain, DC's Batman and Superman are set to join that list within the next decade as well. With nearly a century since the World's Finest debuted on the comic book pages, it appears that DC's Man of Steel will hit the public domain in 2034, while the Dark Knight will be entering it in 2035.

Superman and Batman stand as some of the earliest superheroes that were ever created, and with their original versions entering the public domain, it would mean that their current copyright holder, Warner Bros, and DC, will lose the rights to those versions of the characters in the coming decade. This signifies that anyone will be able to use these characters to create new content.

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Superman and Batman enter the public domain in 2034 and 2035

Superman, created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, first appeared in Action Comics No. 1 in 1938, while Batman, created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Now, nearly 96 years after they were created, both characters are set to enter the public domain within the next decade.

What does it mean when something hits the public domain, you may ask? Well, it basically means that the copyright for those properties has expired and they are added to the public domain where anyone can use those characters to make their own creations, and so is set to happen with Dark Knight and Man of Steel as well. However, it does have its own set of limitations as well.

When iconic DC characters enter the public domain, it means that the public will only be able to use the original versions of the characters, as opposed to the modern versions that we are familiar with today. For instance, Superman could only leap in the original comics and not fly, and concepts like Kryptonite were introduced later. Similarly, with Batman, the public can just use the original version of the Dark Knight without additional characters like Robin, who was created later.

These creations will also be followed by the Joker and Wonder Woman hitting the public domain in 2036 and 2037, respectively. However, Warner Bros. and DC do have contingency plans in place, as according to variety, they have trademarked the terms "Man of Steel" and "Caped Crusader," while also trademarking the iconic "S" logo of Superman and the bat logo of Batman.

Earlier this year, on January 1, 2024, Mickey Mouse entered the public domain as Disney lost the copyright to the classic animated short Steamboat Willie. While the copyright was lost, fans could only use the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey and none of the modern reinterpretations the character has had.

Following Mickey Mouse hitting the public domain, we immediately got announcements of two horror films being made with the character, with one of them being titled Mickey's Mouse Trap and the other still being in development.

When Batman and Superman do hit the public domain, do expect some wacky creations.