https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States according to Wikipedia the most recent notable film is.... Debbie Does Dallas from 1978 due to a copyright notice fuckup. Night of the Living Dead is the second most recent one listed for the same reason. https://publicdomainmovie.net/year?v=1976 has some listed after the date, but it's mostly student works, low budget or forgiven stuff. Or some things people just willingly put into the PD. Answer from PowerPlaidPlays on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/publicdomain › newest movies in the public domain?
r/publicdomain on Reddit: Newest movies in the public domain?
January 8, 2024 -
What are some of the most recently released movies in the public domain in the US?
The Copyright Act of 1976 in the US did away with needing to renew a movies copyright, and extended copyright length again. As a result there are either very little or no movies in the public domain released since then so far, as far as I am aware.
Is 1975 the last year with some movies that are in the public domain? Or are there any movies released since then that are in the public domain for whatever reason?
Top answer 1 of 2
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States according to Wikipedia the most recent notable film is.... Debbie Does Dallas from 1978 due to a copyright notice fuckup. Night of the Living Dead is the second most recent one listed for the same reason. https://publicdomainmovie.net/year?v=1976 has some listed after the date, but it's mostly student works, low budget or forgiven stuff. Or some things people just willingly put into the PD.
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There are likely some films from the 1980s that are public domain due to the weird laws of the time. Though I wouldn't consider them likely to be as notable as Night of the Living Dead. Sita Sings the Blues from 2008 is licensed under a CC0 license, but it does contain copyrighted music recordings. Though at the time of its release the copyright status of these films was much more dubious than it is now.
Public Domain Movie
publicdomainmovie.net
Public Domain Movies |
Public Domain Movies - Feature Movies in the Public Domain
What are your favourite public domain films?
"Night of the Living Dead" (1968). Because obviously. "His Girl Friday" (1940). Because Cary Grant. And Howard Hawks. "Little Shop of Horrors" (1960). Because "FEED ME, SEYMOUR!" More on reddit.com
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December 18, 2020Best movies that are now in the public domain?
I think the original Night Of The Living Dead has always been in the public domain. More on reddit.com
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July 3, 2024Newest movies in the public domain?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States according to Wikipedia the most recent notable film is.... Debbie Does Dallas from 1978 due to a copyright notice fuckup. Night of the Living Dead is the second most recent one listed for the same reason. https://publicdomainmovie.net/year?v=1976 has some listed after the date, but it's mostly student works, low budget or forgiven stuff. Or some things people just willingly put into the PD. More on reddit.com
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January 8, 2024Good Public Domain movies
Night of the Living Dead " The first prints of “Night of the Living Dead” didn’t use the title we know it as today. Instead, it referred to the movie as “Night of the Flesh Eaters”, one of the working titles of the movie. However, before release, the title was changed to its more familiar version but, when changing the title card, the distributor forgot to put the copyright notice on the final print. Though that would not be a large issue today (the Copyright Act of 1976 removed all notice requirements), in 1968 that meant the movie was not protected by copyright and, instead, was placed immediately into the public domain. " https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2011/10/10/how-a-copyright-mistake-created-the-modern-zombie/ More on reddit.com
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June 9, 2016Do you have a list with all the public domain movies?
Yes, our full Public Domain Movies list contains all the movies in this link
publicdomainmovies.info
publicdomainmovies.info › home › public domain movies list – all the movies
Public Domain Movies List
Are these movies free?
Yes, they are all in the public domain, and therefore free to watch.
publicdomainmovies.info
publicdomainmovies.info › home › public domain movies list – all the movies
Public Domain Movies List
Do you have apps? With Chromecast support ?
Yes, we have several android apps, with Chromecast support. You have all in: this link
publicdomainmovies.info
publicdomainmovies.info › home › public domain movies list – all the movies
Public Domain Movies List
Videos
The Iron Horse 1924 - Public Domain Movies / Full 1080p
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10 Best Public Domain Movies that You Can Watch Full for Free Right ...
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5 Cool Public Domain Movies You Should Watch - YouTube
Public domain movies website Review | copyright and free to ...
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10 Best Public Domain Movies that You Can Watch Full for ...
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RANKING 50 Public Domain Horror Movies (Tier List) - YouTube
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States
List of films in the public domain in the United States - Wikipedia
5 days ago - This date will move forward one year, every year, meaning that films released in 1931 will enter the public domain in 2027, films from 1932 in 2028, and so on, concluding with films from 1977 entering the public domain in 2073.
Public Domain Movies
publicdomainmovies.info › home › public domain movies list – all the movies
Public Domain Movies List
June 4, 2025 - Being in the public domain refers to cinematic, dramatic, literary, musical, and artistic works that no government, organization, or individual owns, and as such is common property. This list is continuously growing. Action movies · A Modern Musketeer, 1917 starring Douglas Fairbanks ·
RetroFilm Vault
retrofilmvault.com › home › famous public domain movies that were remade
Famous Public Domain Movies That Were Remade - RetroFilm Vault
September 24, 2024 - He lavished his attention (and ... to modern adaptations, which have borrowed heavily from the 1929 screenplay, the Fairbanks version still reigns supreme. ... There have been at least nine film adaptations of The Last of the Mohicans, as well as a 1950s TV show starring John Hurt (now in the public domain)...
Quora
quora.com › Are-any-modern-films-less-than-20-years-old-in-the-public-domain
Are any modern films less than 20 years old in the public domain? - Quora
Answer (1 of 4): “Sita Sings the Blues” is a really quite good animated film from 2008 that seems to be in some kind of legal limbo. From what I can glean, it seems like the soundtrack songs were not obtained with full permissions (like maybe they were only cleared for festivals?) so the ...
IMDb
imdb.com › list › ls060673364
public domain movies
An introductory film. Buster Keaton's masterpiece, 'The General', is a shining example of one of the many great films available for viewing in the public domain.
Collider
collider.com › home › un chien andalou › the 10 best movies entering the public domain in 2025
The 10 Best Movies Entering the Public Domain in 2025
January 9, 2025 - From Buñuel's masterpiece Un Chien Andalou to DeMille's Dynamite, these movies will enter the public domain in 2025.
Internet Archive
blog.archive.org › 2025 › 01 › 01 › welcome-to-the-public-domain-in-2025
Welcome to the Public Domain in 2025 | Internet Archive Blogs
January 1, 2025 - While not at the same blockbuster level as 2024 with Steamboat Willie’s passage into the public domain, works from 1929 still inhabit strong cultural significance today. The works of 1929 continue to capture the Lost Generation’s voice, the rise of sound film, and the emerging modern moment of the 1920s.
JustWatch
justwatch.com › us › provider › public-domain-movies
Public Domain Movies - full list of movies and TV shows online
The full list of movies and TV shows on Public Domain Movies. Find out what to watch on Public Domain Movies with JustWatch.
Saturation
saturation.io › blog › best-public-domain-movies-list
Best Public Domain Movies List (2025) - Saturation
"Night of the Living Dead" marked a pivotal moment, not just for horror but for how cinema could mirror societal fears, introducing a level of realism and terror that became a blueprint for modern thrillers. These movies are essential viewing for understanding the evolution of horror, showcasing the ingenuity and creativity that spurred today's filmmakers to push boundaries further. Embarking on the trail of public domain cinema led me to a fascinating subset: Sci-Fi films that eerily anticipated future developments.
LOC
loc.gov › free-to-use › public-domain-films-from-the-national-film-registry
Free to Use and Reuse: Public Domain Films from the National Film Registry | Library of Congress Free to Use and Reuse | Library of Congress
The National Film Registry selects 25 films each year to showcase the range and diversity of American film heritage. These public domain selections are part of an online collection.
IMDb
imdb.com › list › ls565990206
Public Domain Movies - Ranked Worst to Best
Movies listed in the public domain on this Wiki: Note that many of the movies are in a gray-area, and should be researched before assuming there will be no legal difficulties in copying / remaking the source material.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/flicks › what are your favourite public domain films?
r/flicks on Reddit: What are your favourite public domain films?
December 18, 2020 -
I’m a big fan of George A. Romero’s Night of The Living Dead and I’ve heard that Dementia 13 is quite good.
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"Night of the Living Dead" (1968). Because obviously. "His Girl Friday" (1940). Because Cary Grant. And Howard Hawks. "Little Shop of Horrors" (1960). Because "FEED ME, SEYMOUR!"
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There are too many to compare, but for recommendation's sake, The General and Haxan are incredibly good watches.
Public Domain Movies
publicdomainmovies.info › home › best public domain movies
Best Public Domain Movies - Public Domain Movies
May 17, 2025 - Classic Old Time Movies in the Public Domain. Best Classic Films - Full Movies.
Retrofilmvault
retrofilmvault.com › iconic-public-domain-films.html
The Most Iconic Public Domain Films| The RetroFilm Vault
Oftentimes these films are not recognized until years (or even decades) after their initial release. The following are the most iconic films in the public domain. In 1968, George A. Romero made a big splash in the horror movie scene with his independently produced Zombie feature Night of the Living Dead.
Mental Floss
mentalfloss.com › home
11 Classic Films in the Public Domain
September 29, 2022 - The copyright for the original Babes release was renewed, but the copyright for March never existed, leading some distributors (and now YouTubers) to continue putting that cut of the film out as a public domain release. Like many of cult movie master Roger Corman’s films, The Little Shop of Horrors was made cheap and fast (Corman apparently only shot for two days).
Reddit
reddit.com › r/flicks › best movies that are now in the public domain?
r/flicks on Reddit: Best movies that are now in the public domain?
July 3, 2024 -
Just curious about older movies that are no longer under copyright laws.
Top answer 1 of 33
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I think the original Night Of The Living Dead has always been in the public domain.
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Try Charade, with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. That one is on all the streaming services, even the free random ones. It was in the public domain upon release in 1963 because of a screw up by Universal. Check out the Wikipedia entry. It’s interesting. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charade_(1963_film)
Wayne State University
guides.lib.wayne.edu › c.php
Movies - Public Domain Day - Research Guides at Wayne State University
January 29, 2024 - Fans of Ex-Machina, Parasite, and Blade Runner would be remiss not to add Metropolis to their movie list. Metropolis, widely regarded as one of the first and best sci-fi films of all time, enters the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2023.
Letterboxd
letterboxd.com › robbob01 › list › public-domain
Film list: Public Domain
November 4, 2022 - Notable works/ characters to enter public domain soonish Frankenstein (Universal)/ Dracula (Universal) - 2027 Scarface/ The Mummy - 2028 King Kong (book already PD)/ The Invisible Man (book already PD) - 2029 It Happened One Night - 2030 The ...