Protected
Forbidden Planet
1956 · Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) · Dir. Fred M. Wilcox
Starship C57D travels to planet Altair 4 in search of the crew of spaceship "Bellerophon," a scientific expedition that has been missing for twenty years. They find themselves unwelcome by the expedition's lone survivor and warned of destruction by an invisible force if they don't turn back immediately.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Forbidden Planet' was released in 1956 and was registered for copyright by Loew's Inc. (the then-parent company of MGM). Under the 1909 Copyright Act, works from this era required a renewal filed in the 28th year to maintain protection. A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress records confirms that the copyright was successfully renewed.
The renewal registration number is RE0000192534, filed on January 9, 1984, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film Co. (successor in interest to Loew's). This renewal extended the copyright for a second term of 47 years, and the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 further extended this term to 95 years from the original publication date. Consequently, the film will not enter the public domain in the United States until January 1, 2052.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (RE192534)
- U.S. Copyright Office Public Catalog (cocatalog.loc.gov)
- Hurst / D. Richard Baer, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1950-1959 volume)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.