Recently, another dance from Fortnite became the subject of legal proceedings. The choreographer who created one of the most recognizable dance numbers has sued Sony Music Holdings.
Darrin Henson claims that Sony used his work "Bye Bye Bye" without consent in Fortnite, as well as the movie "Deadpool & Wolverine."
The lawsuit claims that Henson is the legal owner of the choreography (movements), and Sony did not have the rights to license it.
The lawsuit also stated that the choreography was used and reinterpreted in such a way that it is "detached from its original author, and now this dance is primarily associated with a character from the movie, rather than its original origin."
Henson stated that other people, including Nick Polizzi (who performed the dance in the movie "Deadpool & Wolverine"), are benefiting from his work, while he himself has received neither recognition nor compensation.
At the same time, neither Marvel nor Epic Games are listed as defendants in the lawsuit — it focuses on Sony's role in licensing this dance.
The case is based on a dispute over ownership rights. Henson claims that he created this dance himself in 1999 for the first live performance of NSYNC's song "Bye Bye Bye" and never signed a "work for hire" agreement that would transfer his rights to others.
The choreographer believes that Sony's claims to the dance are based on the fact that the company owns the rights to the music video, but "it did not properly take into account his creative contribution when registering its copyrights."