A choreographer has initiated legal action against Sony Music Holdings, alleging the unauthorized use of his famous dance routine.
Darrin Henson, the creator of one of the most recognizable dance numbers, has filed a lawsuit claiming that Sony illicitly used his “Bye Bye Bye” choreography in the popular video game Fortnite and the upcoming film “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
The lawsuit asserts that Henson is the rightful owner of the choreography (the specific movements) and that Sony lacked the necessary rights to license it. It further claims that the choreography has been utilized and reinterpreted in a way that detaches it from its original creator, now primarily associating the dance with a movie character rather than its authentic origin.
Henson states that other individuals, including Nick Poli (who performed the dance in “Deadpool & Wolverine”), are profiting from his work, while he himself has received neither recognition nor compensation.
Notably, neither Marvel nor Epic Games are named as defendants in the lawsuit; the legal action focuses exclusively on Sony’s role in the alleged licensing of the dance.
At the core of the case is a dispute over intellectual property rights. Henson claims he personally created the dance in 1999 for NSYNC’s initial live performance of the 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 asserted claims to the dance are based on the company’s ownership of the music video rights, but contends that Sony “failed to duly consider his creative contribution when formalizing its copyrights.”