[Netherrealmer]

These characters are now Public Domain, If you write a story about them and publish it as a book or make a movie about them, You won't get sued because they are public domain now but you will have to make your own design for them.

Winnie The Pooh= This bear and his friends are written by A.A Milne who has been dead for a century. The adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a fictionalized versions of his Son Christopher Robin's playtime with his toys. You can make movies about Pooh Bear without the risk of getting sued by Disney as long as Pooh will not look like the Disney version. Trivia, Real Life Christopher Robin and His dad disowned each other because Christopher Robin married his first cousin, causing him to have an autistic daughter.

Popeye- Yes the Sailor who gets strong by eating Spinach is now Public domain. The family of his creator did not renew his copyright. So everyone can make their Popeye movie or use him to promote their business.

All Disney Princess from the 2d era(except Tiana) and Rapunzel- They are from fairy tales that are centuries old. You can publish your own version of Cinderella,Snow White,Mulan, Sleeping Beauty (do not name her Aurora),The Little Mermaid (do not name her Ariel),beauty and the Beast etc as long as it's your own version. Pocahontas is public domain too because she is a real life person who is dead for centuries.

Zorro- He is the first Superhero and with that his writer is dead for centuries. No one will sue you if you make him the logo of your business.

Wizard of Oz- Dorothy and the Gang are still getting new adventures after L. Frank Baum death is 1919. That Broadway Musical Wicked....He didn't write it. As long as Your version of Dorothy doesn't wear Ruby Slippers, You are safe to go.

[Lushh]

So in the case of Zorro you can use his original image and name with no issues? Somehow I got the impression people were always writing and publishing stories about these characters without being confronted by the rightful owners.

[Alberello75]

I see. But I knew something about the case of "Peanuts", created by Charles Schulz. Indeed from what I understood, he did not want that new stories about them had to be to be created after his death (occurred in 2000).
But with an agreement between his relatives, it seems instead that what he had wanted, was not respected.

[Netherrealmer]

I see. But I knew something about the case of "Peanuts", created by Charles Schulz. Indeed from what I understood, he did not want that new stories about them had to be to be created after his death (occurred in 2000).
But with an agreement between his relatives, it seems instead that what he had wanted, was not respected.

His characters are not public domain, It is own by companies Wildbrain,Sony and his family. If he is dead for 100 years and his owners did not renew the copyright, Snoopy and the gang will be Public domain. At this moment, Sony and Wildbrain can do anything they want. His family wanted the property to be used because of royalties.

[Alberello75]

I see. Perhaps at the time I did not know certain information on this matter.
Thank you for your explanation.

[Netherrealmer]

Tin tin is going public domain next year