Updates On Randy Orton Tattoo - WWE Video Game, Booker T - Activision Lawsuits
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T's civil lawsuit against video game producer Activision Publishing, Inc., Activision Blizzard, Inc., and Major League Gaming Corp is set to begin on April 19 with jury selection before United States District Court for Eastern Division of Texas Judge Robert W. Schroeder III, according to PWInsider.
Booker T filed the lawsuit in February of 2019, claiming the look of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018) game character David "Prophet" Williams is based on the comic book version of Booker's G.I. Bro character, which he used in the early 1990s and again in the late 90s for WCW.
Booker says he owns copyrights to the character and is claiming copyright infringement as he was never contacted about the usage of his character. You can see a photo of the two below.
The lawsuit claims Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has generated over $1 billion since its release, Booker T is looking to be award whatever relief is determined by the court.
In other court news, a new trial date has been assigned to tattoo artist Catherine Alexander against World Wrestling Entertainment, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., 2K Games, Inc., 2K Sports, Inc., Visual Concepts Entertainment, Yuke's Co., Ltd. and Yuke's LA Inc. The trial will now begin on September 20 before the U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois (East St. Louis).
Alexander has done Orton's ink between 2003 and 2008, and claims she owns copyrights to the original designs she's done on the WWE Superstar. She's accused WWE and 2K of copyright infringement, declining WWE's $450 offer for the rights to the designs back in 2009.
The tattoos include tribal art on Orton's forearm, a Bible verse on his arm, a dove, a skull, and a rose. Alexander's original suit claimed that all of her tattoos on Orton are her original designs, and that she never gave the defendants permission to recreate them in WWE video games. She also stated that the designs, done between 2003 and 2008, are "easily recognized by his fans and members of the public."
Originally filed in 2018, the case has been pushed back multiple times. You can read more on the lawsuit and see court documents by clicking here.
