Wizard of Oz Public Domain Guide for AI Creators
Gary WhittakerAdapting Public Domain in the AI Era
A teaching case study using The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) — what’s safe, what’s risky, and how to build clean, original work with modern AI tools.
Educational information only, not legal advice. If you plan a commercial release, consult a qualified attorney for your specific facts.
Why This Matters Now
In 2026, creators can produce books, audio, music, and short video scenes faster than ever. That speed is useful, but it increases one common mistake: people adapt the version of a story they remember, not the version they’re allowed to use.
Public domain can be a strong foundation: recognizable source material, fewer licensing barriers, and a head start on search visibility. But “public domain” does not mean “everything connected to the brand is free.” The details matter.
Beginner idea: public domain means the original work is reusable.
More advanced idea: later adaptations can add protected choices (dialogue, music, costumes, staging). Copy those, and you can still create legal and commercial problems.
Start with a Creator-Safe Foundation
If you’re building with AI and want fewer surprises around rights, publishing, and creator-safe decisions, use this as your hub:
JR Suno AI Guides Hub — structured learning that scales from beginner clarity to advanced execution.
The Source Work We’re Anchoring To
The foundation for this case study is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) by L. Frank Baum. The 1900 book text is widely recognized as public domain in major markets creators care about (including the U.S. and Canada).
The practical takeaway is simple: anchor to the book. Use the public domain text as your reference point for characters, plot elements, and tone — then build your own original expression on top.
A Quick Context Check: Why “Oz” Gets Confusing
Oz isn’t just a book. It became a cultural pipeline: book → film → stage → modern retellings. Each layer added new creative choices. Some of those choices became famous — and that fame is exactly what causes creators to accidentally borrow protected material.
Beginner lens: “I’m adapting the Oz story.”
Advanced lens: “I’m adapting the 1900 text, not the 1939 film, and not modern reinterpretations.”
Book vs Film vs Modern Retelling: A Clear Separation
Use this comparison to keep your project anchored. It’s not about restricting creativity — it’s about building clean originality.
| Element | 1900 Book Anchor | 1939 Film Risk Zone | Modern Retelling Risk Zone (e.g., Wicked) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorothy’s shoes | Silver shoes in the book | Ruby slippers are iconic film-specific branding | Not the core issue, but modern marketing can amplify confusion |
| Dialogue | Book text and its dialogue choices | Famous lines people quote may be screenplay-added | Signature “reframe” dialogue and relationships are protected expression |
| Witch framing | Simpler, story-forward villain framing | Highly recognizable portrayal, visuals, and tone | Specific sympathetic origin frameworks and dynamics are protected expression |
| Music identity | No film score; you build your own | Avoid imitation of famous songs/scores | Avoid “Wicked-like” sound signatures or recognizable musical framing |
The Legal Concepts Creators Actually Need
You don’t need to memorize legal textbooks. You do need a few core ideas that help you make decisions early, before you build.
1) Derivative Works
Beginner: If you build on an existing story, you’re making a “based on” work.
More advanced: Your new work must add original expression and avoid copying protected expression from later adaptations.
2) Substantial Similarity
Beginner: Don’t copy the “famous parts” from a movie you love.
More advanced: Similarity can be found in structure, staging, design, and dialogue rhythm — not only in identical words.
3) “Thin” Copyright
Beginner: Some things are too common to “own.”
More advanced: A public-domain-based work can be protected only for the original parts you add — protection is narrower (“thin”).
The 5-Layer Public Domain Integrity Framework™
This is the simplest way to adapt public domain material responsibly while still creating work that feels fresh. Each layer builds on the last.
Use the actual public domain text as your reference. Not memory, not a movie, not a modern retelling.
Identify what belongs to later adaptations (film dialogue, costumes, staging, famous songs, modern “reframes”). Flag it early.
Add new scenes, dialogue, characters, and themes that are clearly yours. Keep the foundation, but build a fresh structure.
Design original characters, typography, and world aesthetics. Do not borrow recognizable film/musical “looks.”
Avoid marketing confusion. Use clear sourcing language like: “Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s 1900 public domain novel.”
Beginner use: treat this like a checklist.
More advanced use: treat this like a production workflow that prevents costly rework late in the process.
The Real Case Study: A Family Sequel Screenplay
A 93-year-old writer created a sequel screenplay decades ago for his son. Now, AI tools make it realistic to produce a children’s book version, original music, narration, and promotional scenes.
What We Remember From the Concept
- Dorothy is back home and people don’t believe her about Oz.
- She misses her friends deeply.
- Her friends appear and tell her she’s needed back in Oz.
- An “ugly” witch becomes less ugly as she becomes kinder.
- Dorothy saves her; the witch becomes fully beautiful.
- A twist reveals hidden royalty and a twin sister who is a princess.
Conceptually, this reads like a classic children’s moral arc: compassion, transformation, and hidden identity. That’s not automatically “Wicked.” The risk comes from whether the screenplay borrows protected dialogue, staging, or signature framing from later adaptations.
Want a Repeatable Build System?
If you want to turn ideas into finished assets (and avoid scattered production), this system shows the full path:
Complete AI Creator Growth System — plan, package, and publish with structure.
How We Review a Public Domain Sequel Script
The review method is simple to explain, but powerful in practice:
- Confirm the anchor (the 1900 book text).
- Audit contamination (film lines, staging, costumes, modern retellings).
- Identify original contribution (new scenes, new characters, new themes).
- Rebuild weak sections (pacing, clarity, child readability).
- Plan production (music, narration, visuals, release steps).
Beginner lens: this keeps you safe.
More advanced lens: this prevents expensive rework after you’ve already built audio, visuals, and marketing.
AI Amplifies Both Opportunity and Risk
AI doesn’t automatically make a project safe or unsafe. The risk comes from how you direct it.
Beginner rule: don’t ask AI to “make it like the movie.”
More advanced rule: avoid prompts that steer output toward protected expression (signature melodies, recognizable visual silhouettes, or famous dialogue rhythms).
AI Music (Suno): How to Stay Original
- Use original lyrics or intentionally selected public domain text.
- Build your own melodic identity; avoid “sound like” references to famous works.
- Document versions and decisions to keep collaboration clean.
AI Visuals: How to Stay Distinct
- Create new character designs; avoid recognizable film costuming and shapes.
- Use your own typography and layout language; avoid “Wicked-like” marketing aesthetics.
- Design Oz as a new world: architecture, patterns, and color logic that is yours.
Track the Work Like a Producer
If you’re combining story + music + visuals, version control matters. Use the free beta tracker to keep assets, revisions, and release steps organized:
From Script to Multi-Format Asset: A Clean Production Blueprint
Public domain reduces licensing friction. It doesn’t guarantee sales. What drives results is clean production and clear packaging.
A Simple, Repeatable Build Path
- Script Audit: confirm book anchor + remove contamination.
- Children’s Prose Adaptation: simplify language, strengthen clarity, improve pacing.
- Character + World Redesign: original looks and typography that are not “borrowed.”
- Original Soundtrack: fresh themes, simple motifs, clean emotional cues.
- Narration + Audio Edition: voice direction that fits children’s storytelling.
- Promo Scenes: short social teasers that look and sound like your own project.
- Release Strategy: clear sourcing language, clean product positioning.
Measure What You Build
If you want outcomes, track performance and iterate. This is how I think about what’s working and why:
7 Mistakes Creators Make With Public Domain
- They adapt the movie, while claiming to adapt the book.
- They quote famous lines without checking if they’re screenplay-only.
- They use “style of” prompts that steer AI output toward protected works.
- They borrow iconic visuals (costumes, typography, staging) because it “looks right.”
- They skip documentation, then can’t explain what’s original later.
- They market too close to a famous adaptation, creating consumer confusion.
- They don’t add enough originality to stand on its own.
The Closing Lesson
Public domain is not nostalgia. It’s infrastructure.
The creators who win long-term aren’t the ones who copy what’s famous. They’re the ones who anchor to the source, audit contamination, and build original expression with a clean release strategy.
Next Step
If you want to run your own projects with the same discipline, start with the tracker and document your builds from day one.
FAQ
Is “The Wizard of Oz” public domain?
The 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is widely recognized as public domain in many major markets. The 1939 film is a separate work and includes elements that may still be protected.
Can I use Dorothy and the other main characters?
You can generally use the characters as they appear in the 1900 book. The main issue is not copying later adaptations’ unique dialogue, characterization, costumes, staging, or music cues.
Can I use famous quotes from the movie?
Many iconic lines people remember come from the 1939 film screenplay rather than the 1900 book. If you want to quote dialogue, use the book text as your source.
Can I use ruby slippers?
Ruby slippers are strongly associated with the 1939 film. In the 1900 book, Dorothy’s shoes are silver. Using book-based details helps keep you anchored to the public domain source.
Does using AI make it safer?
AI does not automatically make a project safe. Risk increases when prompts steer output toward protected adaptations. Build original music and visuals and avoid “make it like the movie” instructions.
What about trademarks and marketing?
Even with public domain source material, branding and marketing can create confusion. Keep your visuals distinct from modern films or stage productions, and avoid implying affiliation.