First it was Winnie the Pooh turning feral in Blood and Honey in 2023. Then came a dark reimagining of Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan, Popeye, and even Bambi. Now another iconic cartoon character may be headed down a much bloodier path.
Will Betty Boop be slashing her way into theaters next?
Variety reports that the wide-eyed flapper is being reimagined as a murderous fiend in a slasher film currently in development. The project is possible because Betty Boop is among a wave of classic characters entering the public domain at the start of the new year.
Created in 1930 as a caricature of a Jazz-era flapper, Betty Boop officially becomes public domain at midnight on Jan. 1, 2026. Also entering the public domain for the first time is the original version of Disney’s beloved dog, Pluto.
Under U.S. law, copyrights for thousands of works from the 1930s will expire at the start of 2026. That means the characters, films, music, and books will be free to use, share, and adapt after nearly 100 years, according to published reports.
Before Jan. 1, creators who wanted to use characters still under copyright were required to obtain permission and pay licensing fees to adapt them.
The expiration of copyrights has already fueled a string of horror movie adaptations based on familiar cartoon characters. But according to NPR, not every reimagining leans into the spooky. Classic stories like Huckleberry Finn and Romeo & Juliet have been updated for modern audiences, while The Wizard of Oz inspired the two Wicked films.
NPR also notes that the public domain expansion goes well beyond cartoon icons. Literary highlights include the first four books in the Nancy Drew detective series, William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, and Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could.
A wide range of films will also be freed, spanning genres and filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hughes, and Salvador Dali. Among them is The Big Trail, released in 1930, which featured John Wayne in his first leading role and marked the beginning of his long career as a Western star.
Music lovers will see notable additions as well. Georgia on My Mind, written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell and later made famous by Ray Charles in 1960, will enter the public domain. Georgia designated Charles’ version as the state’s official song in 1979.
Another song joining the list is Dream a Little Dream of Me, first recorded in 1931 and later covered more than 400 times by artists across generations.
According to NPR, many creative works from the 1930s have been out of print for decades, with ownership questions keeping them offline while they remained under copyright. Their entry into the public domain will make them more accessible and less expensive to use.
There is also a preservation benefit. NPR reports that films and sound recordings that have physically deteriorated over time can now be digitized, restored, and shared more widely, ensuring that these cultural touchstones survive for future audiences.