‘The Batman’ wins plagiarism court case

The Batman was a hit for the big screen in 2022. Audiences liked the dark and gritty film, which showed a young Caped Crusader taking on The Riddler and The Penguin. Yet, not all were a fan of the movie. According to ComicBook.com, Mr. Christopher Wozniak has claimed that the script ripped off his work, The Ultimate Riddle (later renamed The Blind Man’s Hat). He tried to sell this story to DC Comics but was rejected. A recent court ruling has found that The Batman indeed did not commit plagiarism of Wozniak’s writings.

For context, Wozniak did freelance work for DC Comics in the ’90s. The story mentioned above featured a serial killer, Riddler, waging war on a corrupt Gotham City. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer found that the alleged similarities were too non-specific and could be seen in many serial killer stories. He also stated that Wozniak’s writing, which he claimed was plagiarized, did not have evidence for how Warner Bros. allegedly received it and that it broke copyright laws with its “use of the Batman character and the surrounding protected elements.” Now, that’s a plot twist.

Wozniak’s lawyer, Terry Parker, stated, “We respectfully disagree with the court’s decision and are considering our next steps.” Time will tell if anything further comes from the case, but it seems like a done deal for now.

The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, starred Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, and Jeffrey Wright.