Virtually none that would be recognizable, which is why Pavelb1’s question is kind of silly.
This Wikipedia entry lists notable U.S. films that are now in public domain; there are exactly 2 which are less than 50 years old, and one is a porno (Debbie Does Dallas). I don’t imagine that many cosplayers are going to conventions dressed up as John Wayne from McLintock!, or a character from a B-level horror movie from the 1960s.
Edit: as @MrDibble and @Czarcasm noted after I first posted this, Pavel’s second post, with the article, lists characters that are in public domain, but not necessarily specific iterations. Few people going to dress up as a generic Little Mermaid or Rapunzel; they’re going to dress up as the Disney versions. Few cosplayers are going to dress up as a generic Sherlock Holmes; they’re going to do a costume like Benedict Cumberbatch or Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes.
You have no idea how cosplay actually works, do you?
Nobody cosplays as “Aladdin” or “Alice in Wonderland”, they cosplay as “Disney’s Aladdin” or “Disney’s Alice”.
If I cosplayed as American McGee’s Alice, that would be fine. Disney’s? Not so much.
@kenobi_65 In the case of Sherlocks - Cumberbatch would be OK, not sure about Downey’s as it was a Brit director + production but an American producer. I’d err on the side of caution
P.B., While the character of Sherlock Holmes may be in public domain, the version played by Robert Downey Jr., his looks, his words, his mannerisms certainly are not.
People claiming that entertainment reporting is crossing the picket line have been on Twitter too long. I support the unions and want to see them win but that is just stupid.
I have a Star Trek t-shirt featuring Spock on the front and the words “You Better Trek Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself.” If I wore that to a con, am I crossing the picket line?
I guess I don’t see a meaningful difference between the two when it comes to promoting a show. But I’m not a cosplayer, so not my circus not my monkeys.
I did actually consider mentioning Mr. Rathbone, as well as Jeremy Brett – while I think both of their portrayals of Holmes were iconic, I suspect that they aren’t as likely to be as relevant to cosplayers.
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA aren’t against the shows they have created or intend to return to. Trek actors and writers want fans to keep being excited about Trek shows. Star Wars actors and writers want fans to remain excited about those shows and movies. Etc
The cosplay requests are trying to find that line between passive fan support and actively working with/for the companies involved.
Yes, there are clearly going to be some gray areas where a strict rule may not work in all instances, but it’s not as nebulous or ill-defined as this debate seems to make it. A lack of understanding of the nuance or any potential distinctions does not mean those distinctions don’t exist, especially for the very people who are passionate enough about their interests as to make elaborate costumes and wear them publicly.
Yes in both cases.
That’s not too unusual. You can work a factory job as a non-American citizen and still be a member of the local union.
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