Credit: DC / Warner Bros.In a surprising turn of events, a plagiarism lawsuit against Warner Bros. and Matt Reeves for The Batman (2022) has backfired against the plaintiff.
The Batman was a breath of fresh air in the middle of a troubled DC Extended Universe. Not only did it build a grim new version of Gotham City, but it also featured some of the best performances in the franchise from Robert Pattinson (Bruce Wayne), Paul Dano (The Riddler), Zoë Kravitz (Catwoman), Jeffrey Wright (James Gordon), Joe Turturro (Carmine Falcone), and Colin Farrell (The Penguin).
However, the film was met with some cynicism when Christopher Wozniak, a screenwriter and former freelance artist for DC Comics in 1990, sued director Matt Reeves and Warner Bros. for plagiarism of a script he wrote called The Ultimate Riddle, later re-titled The Blind Man’s Hat. Now, the verdict has been decided, and it has worked out poorly for the plaintiff.
US Federal Judge Decides Matt Reeves Did Not Plagiarize ‘The Batman’
Related: Christopher Nolan Still “Plagued” By ‘Dark Knight’
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer decided in a final ruling that Warner Bros. and Matt Reeves did not steal the plot from Christopher Wozniak’s screenplay The Ultimate Riddle. In fact, the judge went so far as to say that Wozniak had actually infringed on copyrights belonging to DC Comics, saying his script “liberally exploits –indeed, is rife with” Batman characters and plot elements.
“The story’s use of the Batman character and the surrounding protected elements is an act of clear and blatant copyright infringement.”
Related: Michael Keaton’s New ‘Batman’ Sequel Has Finally Arrived
The federal judge further extrapolated that similar themes like serial killers who are loners bent on destroying society, villains who taunt pursuers with “clues and riddles,” and moments of “clarity or epiphany” that propel villains to crime are far too common to justify a copyright claim, going so far as to compare The Ultimate Riddle to Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader.
Wozniak’s lawyer, Terry Parker, said they “respectfully disagree” with the court’s decision and are considering their next steps. In the mean time, Matt Reeves and company can move forward with their work on The Batman Part II (2025).
What was your favorite moment from The Batman? Let us know in the comments below.