Short answer
Universal’s Frankenstein (1931), directed by James Whale, is under U.S. copyright through the end of 2026 and enters the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2027. Mary Shelley’s novel, first published in 1818, is already free.
Why January 1, 2027
The film was registered on November 16, 1931, and the copyright was renewed on October 12, 1959. A renewed 1931 copyright lasts 95 years to the end of the calendar year, so it ends December 31, 2026. The 1931 stage play by John L. Balderston and Peggy Webling that the film credits was registered in March 1931 and renewed in 1958, so it enters on the same day. (Catalog of Copyright Entries; 17 U.S.C. §305)
Common questions
Is Frankenstein (1931) in the public domain?
Not yet in the U.S. The film was registered on November 16, 1931 and renewed in 1959, so it is protected through December 31, 2026 and enters the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2027.
Is the Frankenstein novel public domain?
Yes. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was first published in 1818 and is free to read and adapt. Project Gutenberg has the 1818 text.
Does the monster’s look become free in 2027?
The monster as it appears in the 1931 film, including Jack Pierce’s makeup as seen in that film, becomes free to use from the film itself. Later films’ versions of the makeup, Universal’s FRANKENSTEIN trademarks and Boris Karloff’s likeness on products and ads stay protected. Karloff’s estate runs a licensing program.
Is Bride of Frankenstein public domain too?
No. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) was registered in 1935 and renewed, so it stays protected until January 1, 2031.
Can I make a video essay with clips from Frankenstein (1931)?
Starting January 1, 2027, the 1931 film is free to use in the U.S., including in a video essay. Don’t sell FRANKENSTEIN-branded merchandise, don’t put Karloff’s monster face on a product or ad, and don’t AI-generate a new Karloff performance.
Read more
- Issue No. 1: what you can (and can’t) use from Dracula and Frankenstein
- Edison’s 1910 Frankenstein film was never really lost
- Mary Shelley’s 1831 Frankenstein introduction
- Frankenstein’s ice scene is on a real glacier
- Frankenstein (1931): the casting, the cuts and the censors
- Walter Scott’s Frankenstein review named the wrong Shelley
- When does Bride of Frankenstein enter the public domain?
- Everything entering the public domain in 2027
General information, not legal advice. U.S. law only; status can depend on publication and renewal facts and differs by country. Talk to a lawyer before commercial use. Last checked November 1, 2026.
Sources
- Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series, Motion Pictures 1959 (renewals): “FRANKENSTEIN … © 16Nov31; LP2631 … 12Oct59; R243591”
- Catalog of Copyright Entries, Dramas 1958 (renewals): Balderston and Webling play, © 11Mar31, DU9603; R218188
- 17 U.S.C. §305 and the Cornell public domain chart
- Wikipedia, “Frankenstein (1931 film)”
- FRANKENSTEIN trademarks: Reg. 1178108, Reg. 2057740, Reg. 5848013
- Karloff estate, commercial licensing; Los Angeles Times obituary (1969)
- University of Pennsylvania, “Jack Pierce”
- Library of Congress, The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
- Project Gutenberg, Frankenstein (1818 text)
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