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"Boop Boop Be Do" meets "Allright, Allright, Allright"
01/28/2026
"Boop Boop Be Do" meets "Allright, Allright, Allright"
In this episode of Entertainment Law Update (Ep. 187), we break down a packed slate of legal developments shaping copyright, trademarks, right of publicity, AI, and the creator economy—plus key legislative updates and education opportunities you should have on your radar. On the rundown: 1) CLE Rescheduled (Tamera Bennett & Jordyn Hendrix) Trademarks in the Wild: Real-World Lessons from Rogers, Jack Daniel’s, and Pop Culture Litigation A practical look at how courts balance trademark rights and artistic expression across film, TV, music, gaming, NFTs, and influencer content. https://mylawcle.com 2) Public Domain “Mega Drop” (Hello, Betty Boop) On January 1, 2026, one of the largest groups of works ever entered the U.S. public domain, including early appearances of Betty Boop and Pluto, major novels, films, artwork, and music compositions from 1930. We explain what’s now free to use—and what’s still protected. https://www.npr.org/2025/12/26/nx-s1-5649395/public-domain-2026-copyright-betty-boop-pluto htttps://publicdomain.org Sidebar: Mondrian Is in the Public Domain (Despite the Estate’s Claims) Why aggressive rights claims can chill lawful public-domain use—and why understanding copyright expiration really matters. https://copyrightlately.com/mondrian-public-domain-controversy/ 3) Top Gun: Maverick Copyright Case Crashes (Quick Take) The Ninth Circuit shuts down a copyright challenge, reinforcing the line between unprotectable facts and protectable expression. https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/paramount-defeats-writers-copyright-lawsuit-over-top-gun-maverick-2026-01-09/?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/01/02/24-2897.pdf 4) Queen Anne’s Revenge Case Scuttled (Quick Take) The Fourth Circuit ends long-running litigation over documentary footage, emphasizing procedural limits and state sovereign immunity. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/24-1954/24-1954-2026-01-23.html 5) Vetter v. Resnik: Termination Rights Go Worldwide A deep dive into the Fifth Circuit’s ruling that copyright termination under U.S. law can reclaim worldwide exploitation rights—and what this may (and may not) mean going forward. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca5/25-30108/25-30108-2026-01-12.html https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2026/01/13/vetter-v-resnik-appeals-court-determination/ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/wallace-e-j-collins-iii-9588873_decision-ugcPost-7416641598438133760-Xujp?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAAC6wCgBF3sKiHYcfi7X6WEoDMxF8u_Fnm0 https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3523310 Related international conflict note (Duran Duran): https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38182418 6) Salt-N-Pepa v. UMG: “Push It” — But Get Pushed Back A reminder that termination rights only work if the artist actually owned the copyrights in the first place. https://people.com/salt-n-pepa-lawsuit-against-universal-music-group-dismissed-by-federal-judge-11882031 https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/salt-n-pepa-lawsuit-against-umg-over-ownership-of-master-recordings-dismissed/ 7) Mariah Carey Case Ends With Sanctions Why weak infringement claims—and bad litigation conduct—can lead to six-figure fee awards. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/mariah-carey-awarded-in-all-i-want-for-christmas-lawsuit-1235490278/ 8) Kat Von D Tattoo Case: Substantial Similarity on Trial The Ninth Circuit affirms the verdict and raises serious questions about the future of the “total concept and feel” test. https://elupdate.slack.com/files/U1247NVC2/F0A6RLB3K9Q/message.pdf https://copyrightlately.com/kat-von-d-tattoo-case-total-concept-and-feel/ https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/01/02/24-3367.pdf 9) McConaughey Trademarks His Voice to Fight AI Misuse A novel trademark strategy aimed at protecting celebrity voice and likeness from unauthorized AI replication. https://variety.com/2026/biz/news/matthew-mcconaughey-trademarks-alright-alright-alright-ai-misuse-1236631214/ https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=98325548&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp87z6vexl3o https://kipcurriercopyright.blogspot.com/2026/01/matthew-mcconaughey-trademarks-alright.html 10) California Updates Right of Publicity for Digital Replicas (Quick Take) SB 683 amends California’s right of publicity law to cover digital replicas and adds fast injunctive relief—raising First Amendment concerns. https://natlawreview-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/natlawreview.com/article/california-adds-injunctive-relief-its-right-publicity-statute-and-extends-liability?amp https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB683&showamends=false 11) VACRA: Visual Artists Copyright Reform Act of 2025 A proposed overhaul designed to make copyright registration practical—and enforceable—for photographers and visual artists. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3517 https://www.welch.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/20251217-Visual-Artists-Copyright-Reform-Act-VACRA-of-2025-One-Pager.pdf 12) Copyright Office Webinar Plug Lights, Camera, Action: Copyright Essentials for Filmmakers February 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern (online) https://www.copyright.gov/events/copyright-essentials-for-filmmakers/ About the show Entertainment Law Update covers the legal and business stories shaping film, TV, music, digital media, and the creator economy—translated into plain English (with just enough lawyer-brain to be useful). Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not legal advice.
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