A question about Disney's copyright of Winnie the Pooh

[CaptainJackSparrow]

So I have read that Disney is able to use Winnie the Pooh characters until 2026, when that expires, what will Disney do, will they try buying the whole franchise? A little confused here.

[Sir Tiki]

They'll probably just renegotiate their contract with the A.A. Milne estate.

[Water Bottle]

Disney will probably get Congress to extend the copyright terms for another 75 years. If the copyright expires in 2026, Winnie the Pooh becomes public domain.

8 minutes ago, Sir Tiki said:

They'll probably just renegotiate their contract with the A.A. Milne estate.

The A.A. Milne estate would lose the copyright in 2026 as well. Everybody would be able to use Winnie the Pooh.

[CaptainJackSparrow]

But if Winnie The Pooh becomes eminent domain, would that mean Disney's Winnie the Pooh characters/world becomes public domain also? Because I know something like Hercules is public domain yet Disney owns it's version of Hercules I thought?

[4815162342]

10 hours ago, CaptainJackSparrow said:

But if Winnie The Pooh becomes eminent domain, would that mean Disney's Winnie the Pooh characters/world becomes public domain also? Because I know something like Hercules is public domain yet Disney owns it's version of Hercules I thought?

That has nothing to do with public domain in copyright. Eminent domain is the government taking your physical land property away and compensating you for it.

[cookie]

14 hours ago, CaptainJackSparrow said:

But if Winnie The Pooh becomes eminent domain, would that mean Disney's Winnie the Pooh characters/world becomes public domain also? Because I know something like Hercules is public domain yet Disney owns it's version of Hercules I thought?

Disney's interpretation of Winnie The Pooh would still be copyrighted. Any element that didn't originate from the A.A Milne books would still be theirs.