* Sherlock Holmes is in the public domain. This means the copyright has expired, and the work is free for anyone to use.
* Copyright is not something you can obtain for existing works. Copyright is a legal right granted to creators of original works, automatically upon creation.
Here's a breakdown:
* Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories are in the public domain: The last of Conan Doyle's stories entered the public domain in 2014. This means you are free to use the characters, plot elements, and settings from those stories without permission.
* Some elements remain protected: While the stories themselves are in the public domain, there are still some things you can't use freely. For example:
* The specific adaptations of the stories, like the original movie scripts or stage plays, may still be under copyright. You would need permission from the copyright holder to use those.
* "The Adventure of the Second Stain" and other stories written after 1923: These stories are still under copyright and are not yet in the public domain.
What you can do:
* Write your own Sherlock Holmes story: You can freely use the characters and elements from the public domain stories to create your own original work.
* Use public domain materials creatively: You can adapt the stories, create new plots, or even invent new characters within the Sherlock Holmes universe.
It's important to remember that you cannot claim copyright over the original works of Arthur Conan Doyle. However, you can create your own original works based on the public domain elements of Sherlock Holmes.