In October 1999, Darrin Henson was recruited to create the choreography for NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" music video. The routine became one of the most recognizable dances in pop culture, earning Henson the MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in 2000. He later monetized the work through his "Darrin's Dance Grooves" instructional videos, which sold over 3 million copies.
More than two decades later, the dance found new life in the opening credits of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), where the title character performs the routine while fighting. The scene went massively viral — racking up over 25 million views on YouTube alone — and the choreography also appeared as a Fortnite emote. But Henson says all of this happened without his knowledge or consent.
Henson alleges that Sony licensed his choreography as though it were part of the label's rights package, despite having no ownership claim. He says he never signed a work-for-hire agreement, making him the sole copyright owner by default. He registered the choreography with the U.S. Copyright Office in 2025 (registration PA2554184).
- 01 Henson is the sole owner of the "Bye Bye Bye" choreography, having never transferred rights via a work-for-hire agreement or any other contract.
- 02 Sony wrongfully held itself out as the owner and licensed the routine to third parties — including for use in Deadpool & Wolverine and as a Fortnite emote — without authorization.
- 03 The viral resurgence has caused the choreography to become "unjustly affiliated with Marvel," disconnecting it from its original creator and diminishing Henson's credit.
- 04 Multiple parties — including performer Nick Pauley (credited as "Dancepool") and licensing intermediaries — have profited from the work while Henson received no compensation.
This case could set significant precedent for how choreography ownership is treated when record labels license dance moves for use in film, streaming, and video games. It builds on a growing line of dance copyright cases, including a landmark 2023 federal appeals ruling that held choreography should be treated the same as other copyrightable works — regardless of length. A win for Henson could reshape how entertainment companies approach licensing dance routines and force clearer ownership agreements across the industry.