You have me curious about how long it will be until LOTR becomes public domain, and Tolkien’s lawyers can go suck eggs if we want to produce a live stage x-rated parody called "Lord of the Nipple Rings" (just as an example. :P)
It’s surprisingly inconsistent.
Disney lawyers have famously pushed copyright law to ridiculous extremes to keep their total control over Mickey Mouse (who… the fuck… cares… I think you’d have to be over 40 now to remember ever seeing a MM cartoon as a current release.) Copyright law in the US is now "95 years from date of publishing) So, 2032 for The Hobbit, and 2050 for LotR. Fortunately that’s only within the USA.
In the UK and other “life+70” countries, Tolkien’s works will enter the public domain 70 years after his death. So, 2043.
In Canada and other “life+50” countries, Tolkien’s works will enter the public domain 50 years after his death. So, 2023.
(Presuming, of course, these corporate dragons hoarding intellectual property like treasure don’t bribe more politicians to change the laws even further.)
The original intent of copyright law, was that the creator owned a property and the revenue generated by it for their whole life, plus a few more decades after their death so their family didn’t abruptly lose their income they were accustomed to. After that, a franchise would enter Public Domain, and be free for anyone to use for their own creative spins. That’s how we get movies, books, and games based on old tales and myths. It’s ALSO where Disney gets about 99% of all their movie concepts they didn’t outright steal, and excluding the shitty sequels of their successful films that go straight to video. Disney media’s entire business is based around taking advantage of the public domain free properties and making a fortune off of them… and then suing the pants off anyone else who tries to.
They’ve even successfully sued the original studio for making a sequel to their own work, from which Disney committed copyright fraud and stole their concept without compensating them. Their lawyers are max-level, Lawful Evil demons!
Copyright wasn't even originally for life, it was for like five years after the author published. Given that the bulk of money from a new book or film comes from the first few years anyway, seems reasonable enough to me.
Pick up your copies of YAFGC Volumes 1 - 5 at our online store. Multi-book bundles and sketch editions available.
Sauron is indeed a boob, lol.
A sentence that has never existed before.
"Sauron was a boob."
He could never have out fought Santino.
Sauron? I’d be more worried about Tolkien’s lawyers.
You have me curious about how long it will be until LOTR becomes public domain, and Tolkien’s lawyers can go suck eggs if we want to produce a live stage x-rated parody called "Lord of the Nipple Rings" (just as an example. :P)
It’s surprisingly inconsistent.
Disney lawyers have famously pushed copyright law to ridiculous extremes to keep their total control over Mickey Mouse (who… the fuck… cares… I think you’d have to be over 40 now to remember ever seeing a MM cartoon as a current release.) Copyright law in the US is now "95 years from date of publishing) So, 2032 for The Hobbit, and 2050 for LotR. Fortunately that’s only within the USA.
In the UK and other “life+70” countries, Tolkien’s works will enter the public domain 70 years after his death. So, 2043.
In Canada and other “life+50” countries, Tolkien’s works will enter the public domain 50 years after his death. So, 2023.
(Presuming, of course, these corporate dragons hoarding intellectual property like treasure don’t bribe more politicians to change the laws even further.)
The original intent of copyright law, was that the creator owned a property and the revenue generated by it for their whole life, plus a few more decades after their death so their family didn’t abruptly lose their income they were accustomed to. After that, a franchise would enter Public Domain, and be free for anyone to use for their own creative spins. That’s how we get movies, books, and games based on old tales and myths. It’s ALSO where Disney gets about 99% of all their movie concepts they didn’t outright steal, and excluding the shitty sequels of their successful films that go straight to video. Disney media’s entire business is based around taking advantage of the public domain free properties and making a fortune off of them… and then suing the pants off anyone else who tries to.
They’ve even successfully sued the original studio for making a sequel to their own work, from which Disney committed copyright fraud and stole their concept without compensating them. Their lawyers are max-level, Lawful Evil demons!
Copyright wasn't even originally for life, it was for like five years after the author published. Given that the bulk of money from a new book or film comes from the first few years anyway, seems reasonable enough to me.