Copyright is extremely important in the film and television sector. It is the legal basis for financial compensation for all creative work that goes into audiovisual productions and therefore for claims for remuneration for such contributions. Most claims continue after the death of the holders of such copyright and related rights and can be inherited. However, in contrast to tangible goods, intellectual property rights expire after a certain period of time, when audiovisual works enter the public domain and can be used by anyone without the need for a licence, including online. This IRIS plus examines, in relation to the various relevant scenarios, when copyright protection for films and audiovisual works ends, focusing in particular on two of the world's most economically powerful audiovisual markets: Europe and the USA.