*NSYNC choreographer Darrin Henson sues Sony, alleging unauthorized use of the iconic “Bye Bye Bye” dance in the most recent Deadpool movie and Fortnite.
As noted by Billboard, Henson has filed a lawsuit against Sony Music Holdings, alleging that the company permitted the unauthorized use of his work in Deadpool & Wolverine and in the video game Fortnite. The complaint was filed on March 27, in which Henson argued that Sony lacked the authority to license his work.
“The reality is that the work belongs to Henson, and to obtain full acknowledgment of his ownership and a complete transfer of all monies earned by SME and its licensees, the plaintiff must seek declaratory relief from the court,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit further claims the dance first appeared at the 1999 Radio Music Awards during a medley performance by the boy band. Henson went on to win an MTV Video Music Award for his choreography in 2000.
The Emote Returning to Fortnite Is in Question
The dance gained renewed popularity after its inclusion in the opening scene of the latest Deadpool film, where Ryan Reynolds’ character, the iconic, abrasive Marvel superhero, performed it while taking down several individuals.
Epic Games is not named in the lawsuit. The emote for the “Bye Bye Bye” dance debuted in Fortnite on September 24, 2024, but hasn’t reappeared in the shop since its first release. Per Fortnite.gg, it left the shop on September 29, just 5 days later.
Following this news, some suggest it is very unlikely the dance will ever return to the popular Battle Royale game.
Insider Gaming will continue to monitor this story and report any updates as they are made available.
For more Fortnite news on Insider Gaming, learn about the recent layoffs at Epic and how that affects several Fortnite modes.
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Shouldn’t he sue Disney and Epic too? Epic should have had Ye in Fortnite and Sony/BMG should have cleared Everybody