Just when James Gunn and Peter Safran scrapped the entire DCEU and planned to develop it from scratch, the franchise might land in trouble. After Mickey Mouse, the original DC characters will now enter the public domain.
Until now, Warner Bros. had a monopoly over these characters, and they will now become accessible to the general public. It’s being reported that just like Disney’s Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse, the characters from DC Comics, superheroes, and villains alike, will enter the public domain, which might not be in favor of Gunn.
Related: James Gunn Reveals New Wonder Woman Villian Actress For Rebooted DCU
James Gunn’s Vision For Rebooted DCU Is In Jeopardy
After deconstructing DCEU, James Gunn and Peter Safran have envisioned a new and innovative DCU with new faces and fresh perspectives. Titled ‘Gods and Monsters‘, the first project to initiate this year will be the animated series ‘Creature Commandos’. Following the animated series, Gunn has also teased the fans with titles like ‘Superman: Legacy’ and ‘Batman: The Brave and the Bold’.
As Gunn’s project finally sees the light, the expansion of the franchise seems in jeopardy now as WB’s monopoly over characters like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman along with Lois Lane as well as the legendary DC villain Joker comes to an end in multimedia.
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How Will DC Characters Entering Public Domain Affect New DCU?
The iconic DC superheroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman along with Lois Lane and Joker first made their appearance in DC comics several decades back. As per US Copyright Laws, these properties cannot be held by a single commercial entity for more than 95 years, which means these characters will become public domain as soon as the rights become void.
Superman and Lois Lane are expected to enter the public domain in 2034, followed by Batman in 2035, and the Joker in 2036. Finally, Wonder Woman’s rights will become accessible in 2037. Since these properties have no grounds for being retained by DC Comics as per the laws, they will become free to use for the public. Now the public and creative entities can use these characters for their projects without having to worry about adhering to copyright laws and property usage guidelines.
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