WWE Going To Trial For Copying Randy Orton's Tattoos In Video Game
Catherine Alexander's case against WWE and Take-Two is heading to trial.
Tattoo artist Catherine Alexander is taking WWE to court for reproducing Randy Orton's ink in the WWE 2K video game series.
As outlined by Hollywood Reporter, Alexander is Orton's artist and designed his tattoos. She is suing WWE, Take-Two Interactive Software, 2K Games, 2K Sports, Visual Concepts, and Yuke's for using her work in the WWE 2K game series without express permission, with WWE previously laughing off her attempt at securing a fee to reproduce Orton's tattoos in a merchandise line.
Alexander was given a partial summary judgment dictating that her work had been copied for the games. A jury will now decide where or not this is increased to copyright infringement, with whether or not Orton has an "implied license" to use his ink one of the key questions to be answered in all this. The former WWE Champion declared that he was never advised he would need permission to have his tattoos featured in this way.
Take-Two has previously faced a suit for a similar case with the NBA 2K series, beating a group who claimed to own the tattoo designs of LeBron James, Kenyon Martin, and Eric Bledsoe.