Fortnite Just Settled a Big Dance Lawsuit—Here’s What Went Down

Epic Games—the company behind Fortnite—just quietly settled a lawsuit from top choreographer Kyle Hanagami, who accused them of stealing his dance moves.

Hanagami, who’s worked with stars like J.Lo, Justin Bieber, and Britney Spears, originally sued back in 2022. He claimed Epic copied his choreography in a Fortnite emote called “It’s Complicated,” and let players buy it without credit or permission. Classic “dance goes viral, game profits, creator gets nothing” situation.

At first, it looked like the lawsuit was going nowhere. A judge dismissed the case, saying short dance sequences weren't protected by copyright. But then the 9th Circuit Court came in like, “Wait a minute,” and revived it. They basically said choreography should be treated more like music—you don’t reduce a song to a few notes, so don’t reduce a dance to just a few poses.

Anyway, a trial was scheduled for May 2025, but now both sides have agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice (aka it’s over, and can’t be refiled). Epic isn’t talking. Hanagami’s team isn’t talking. So we don’t know if there was a payout or just a handshake and NDA, but it’s done.

The bigger takeaway? Creators are pushing back, and courts are starting to take choreography seriously. Could be a big deal for dancers and choreographers trying to protect their work in the digital world.

Read More: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/epic-games-resolves-fortnite-dance-moves-copyright-lawsuit-2024-02-13/