Even if copyright in Canada hadn't gone from life plus 50 years to life plus 70, properties that are still valuable tend to use trademark law to keep derivative works from being made. Anne of Green Gables has been in the public domain for a while in Canada. You can download the books off Project Gutenberg with no problems, but if you want to make your Anne of Green Gables Meets Winnie The Pooh crossover comic, Anne of Green Gables Licensing Authority Inc. is going to come after you.
That seems like it might be Disney's strategy as well. Winnie The Pooh is public domain, but not the Disney cartoon. Disney's version has the red shirt, so if you want to make a horror version of Winnie The Pooh, he can't wear a red shirt.
Anne of Green Gables has been in the public domain for a while in Canada. You can download the books off Project Gutenberg with no problems, but if you want to make your Anne of Green Gables Meets Winnie The Pooh crossover comic, Anne of Green Gables Licensing Authority Inc. is going to come after you.
That's a pretty limited protection though. All you have to do is not include the trademarked phrase "Anne of Green Gables" in your title or marketing. You could still have a trailer where Winnie the Pooh looks over and goes, "Anne, is that you?" and a recognizable version of Anne comes from the shadows or something.
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Notes -
Even if copyright in Canada hadn't gone from life plus 50 years to life plus 70, properties that are still valuable tend to use trademark law to keep derivative works from being made. Anne of Green Gables has been in the public domain for a while in Canada. You can download the books off Project Gutenberg with no problems, but if you want to make your Anne of Green Gables Meets Winnie The Pooh crossover comic, Anne of Green Gables Licensing Authority Inc. is going to come after you.
That seems like it might be Disney's strategy as well. Winnie The Pooh is public domain, but not the Disney cartoon. Disney's version has the red shirt, so if you want to make a horror version of Winnie The Pooh, he can't wear a red shirt.
That's a pretty limited protection though. All you have to do is not include the trademarked phrase "Anne of Green Gables" in your title or marketing. You could still have a trailer where Winnie the Pooh looks over and goes, "Anne, is that you?" and a recognizable version of Anne comes from the shadows or something.
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