A screen grab of Brock's video about the similarities between Slug Street Scrappers and Batman vs Robin
A screen grab of Brock's video about the similarities between Slug Street Scrappers and Batman vs Robin

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DC's Batman vs Robin accused of copying fight sequence from YouTube series

A YouTuber has accused DC and Warner Bros. Animation of copying his work, after he noticed similarities in the fight choreography being used in Batman vs. Robin and his web series.

YouTube user Kwonkicker, also known as Micah Brock, made a video listing the similarities between the two series. Brock released Slug Street Scrappers in 2012 and shows very similar fight sequences, edits, and camera changes to those used in Batman vs. Robin, which was released in 2015.

Here is the video listing the similarities between the two videos.

Brock said in the video: "You can't really copyright a martial arts move or a sequence of martial arts moves, but this seems to be like a little bit more than just coincidence because it seems almost like they used the footage from Slug Street Scrappers... as reference for the film, and not just for the art but also the camera angles, the tempo, even the sound overlays, which is pretty crazy."

For anyone watching Brock's video, it is difficult to say that his claim does not hold water. The fight sequence between Batman vs Robin are almost similar note-for-note to the one in Slug Street Scrappers. But Brock did take some time to get to the point – he used the first two minutes of the accusation video to promote his work on Slug Street Scrappers.

Everyone knows a big business that is exploiting a common Creator. But in this case the Creator, Micah Brock, has admitted that he does not have a case as copyright a martial arts move or a sequence of martial arts moves. Like martial arts moves, most short dance moves cannot be copyrighted.

Fortnite, a popular video game, has been attracting lawsuits due to it being accused of copying dance moves to use as "emotes" in game. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Alfonso Ribeiro became the latest star to sue Epic, the publisher of the game over its use of his "Carlton dance" routine, but the US Copyright Office has refused to register the dance.

A letter from the Copyright Office says that Ribeiro's submission is “a simple routine made up of three dance steps” and refused to register it. “The fact that a dance or movement may contain more than a trivial amount of original authorship is irrelevant,” it reads. So even if Ribeiro’s dance was unique and distinctive, it is not protected by copyright.

This precedent could affect the other lawsuits involving Fortnite dances, like the one from rapper 2 Milly, who sued Epic for his “Milly Rock” dance.

Do you think Brock has a case against DC and Warner Bros Animation? Comment below or at our Facebook page.

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Image credit: Screen shot of the video posted by The Guardian

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