TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE FUTURE: I can’t believe all these pop-culture icons come out of copyright in 2026.

Betty Boop. Nancy Drew. The Maltese Falcon. Pluto. The Three Stooges. Agatha Christie’s first Miss Marple novel. These aren’t forgotten relics. These are proper cultural icons.

On 1 January 2026, they’re walking free from their current owners. And as someone who makes things for a living, I’m both thrilled and absolutely terrified.

What could go wrong?