Five Pop Culture Super Heroes in the Public Domain

Russell Crowe stars as Robin Hood, alongside Cate Blanchett as Maid Marion, in a big summer movie directed by Ridley Scott, who also directed Crowe in Gladiator. It's a blockbuster budgeted at a bank busting $237 million, with highly paid actors romping on pricey sets, dressed in lavish costumes and wielding pricey props. This Hollywood epic promises boffo box office, but do you know you can make your own Robin Hood movie? Robin's merry men aren't owned by anybody. Anyone may shoot films, draw comics, or do what they wish with the characters. Best part: No expensive licensing fee!

If a burning desire to throw Santa Claus, Doc Strange, Robin Hood, Count Dracula and Captain Nemo all together into a wacky movie strikes your fancy, you may fulfill it. No guarantee of course anyone will like it, or much less care, but at least you don't pay to use the characters.

Robin Hood

First recorded in 14^th century English poetry and literature, Robin Hood's legendary mission saw him steal from the rich and give to the poor. Think of Robin's merry men as an extreme, vigilante Salvation Army. Expert archer and unparalleled swordsman Robin, Will Scarlett and Friar Tuck and his merry men battled baddies - mostly Sheriff of Nottingham and minions - for centuries, and in so many forms that they're deeply entrenched in Western pop culture. Russell Crowe's movie is one in a long line of filmed Robin Hood jaunts. It won't be the last. What will yours be like? Will your Robin be a whining wimp who shrinks from danger? Maybe your Maid Marion loves Friar Tuck. A love triangle ensues, and could break up Hood's hood!

Count Dracula

Irish author Bram Stoker crafted this lasting Lord of the Undead, the undisputed Vampire Viceroy, back in 1887. Because of a copyright mix-up, the novel landed in public domain when first published. Ironically, it was F.W. Murnau's Dracula film Nosferatu, which helped the novel become popular, after Stoker's widow tried to have his movie banned, since Murnau never paid her a license fee. You can really sink your fangs into this devilishly bloodthirsty character. Perhaps you'll create an epic movie called Dracula Detox - wherein our favorite batty nobleman checks into celebrity rehab. He soon finds himself surrounded by a wacky cast of Hollywood has beens and never weres (or werewolves) trying to kick their own blood thinning habits. Go forth, good reader. Simply go have a bloody blast of a good time in creating your own vampy, or campy version of dreadful, or daffy Dracula.

Santa Claus

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas! Go Go Go make your Santa version! This jolly old elf entertains us for generations. Since he's a public domain character, you can use him anyway you want. Though Santa Claus, based upon Greek Saint Nicholas was a nurturing Christmas figure for years, it wasn't until American cartoonist Thomas Nast depicted him as a big, plump holiday gift giver that his modern legend truly took off. Now to play Santa, if you don't have real chubby poundage, you better either hit a buffet table, or pad your tiny tummy. In 1985, Dudley Moore starred as Santa's head elf, opposite the appropriately rotund David Huddelsten as the large man in charge. You don't have to spend the $50 million like the producers of this flop - in the USA anyway, in the UK and Europe it did spectacular box office - to make your own Santa Claus movie. Is Santa a sumo wrestler in his off time? Perhaps Mrs. Claus is tired of snow, and wants to move operations to Florida. Whatever you do with revered Santa Claus, be creative and be aware he's freely available in public domain.

Captain Nemo

Genius scientist and commander of fabled submarine Nautilus, Captain Nemo is a literary creation of French author Jules Verne. First written about in 1870 in Verne's novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea, the character became an icon for rebellion. In Verne's work, Nemo drew revenge on countries that oppressed others. In our modern age of environmental awareness, in some ways he can even be viewed as one of the earliest ecological warriors. Lurking about in the ocean's depths in his Nautilus, he protects not only his crew's safety, but makes sure the living seas of his home are secure as well. The devastating British Petroleum oil leak off the Gulf of Mexico in America reminds us our ecology is so precious, sensitive and prone to such an irresponsible accident. Owing to the fact that Nemo hated colonial conquest - as in the British empire's conquest of India - if he was real and around today, he'd no doubt deal with British Petroleum quite severely. Since he's a public domain character, you can film such a move anytime.

Doc Strange

Doctor Hugo Strange invents a serum giving him really nifty powers. After testing it on himself, he gains super strength, the ability to fly and invulnerability. Sounds a lot like Superman? Superman, the man of steel, appeared two years earlier in Action Comics. Strange first appeared in Thrilling Comics in 1940. Unlike the majority of comic book super powered guys and gals, Doc Strange maintains no secret identity. Like modern movie heroes like Hancock (Will Smith) who pretty much goes with the flow, maybe you can take the public domain Doc Strange and reinvent him in all sorts of cool ways. Perhaps Dr. Phil and Doc Strange get into an argument. To settle the medical grudge match, they mud wrestle for charity. Yes, it's an incredibly disturbing thought for us all, but if Dr. Phil stars in your movie, you may produce a hit flick.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Nast

http://pdsh.wikia.com/wiki/Public_Domain_Super_Heroes