Harry Potter and the public domain: Why that’s not something to wait for
Wish that the Harry Potter series could just enter the public domain and we can do whatever we want with it? Well, we’re going to have to wait a pretty long time (like not in our lifetime).
One of the great things about getting to explore a series is when it enters into the public domain and fans can then adapted it as they see fit. The problem? The public domain isn’t exactly something that happens quickly.
According to the rules, something enters the public domain after 70 years. Oh, I’m sorry, 70 years after the creator’s death. Meaning that we will not see Harry Potter in the public domain in our lifetime.
To be honest, these rules are a little much because it does take over 100 years for something to be in the public domain and that seems like a lot. But if, instead, we lowered the amount of years and put some clause in there somewhere to make exceptions, maybe we could have a bit more freedom in these worlds we know and love.
Instead, we just have repeat performance. Ever wonder why there are so many Sherlock Holmes adaptations or different William Shakespeare movies? Because you don’t have to pay for the rights anymore.
Until then, unfortunately for us Potter fans, we are still at the will of Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling. But it’d be nice to see fans get to reclaim the series as their own and get to explore it through a new lens instead of the one we’ve seen over and over again!
Next. References to Hogwarts and the Harry Potter series in other bits of pop culture. dark