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Warner Bros Discovery Gets Personal With TikTok Owners Over AI “Blatant Infringement” Of Batman & Superman In Cease & Desist Salvo 

February 18, 2026 at 02:43 AM
By Dominic Patten
Warner Bros Discovery Gets Personal With TikTok Owners Over AI “Blatant Infringement” Of Batman & Superman In Cease & Desist Salvo 
Superman, Batman and Game of Thrones bosses Warner Bros Discovery joined Disney and Paramount today in putting the copyright infringement gears to TikTok owners ByteDance over AI generated videos of Darth Vader, the Marvel universe, and Tom Cruise. To that, WBD’s legal chief Wayne M. Smith made it very personal with ByteDance Global General Counsel […]

Analysis & Context

Superman, Batman and Game of Thrones bosses Warner Bros Discovery joined Disney and Paramount today in putting the copyright infringement gears to TikTok owners ByteDance over AI generated videos of Darth Vader, the Marvel universe, and Tom Cruise. To that, WBD’s legal chief Wayne M. Smith made it very personal with ByteDance Global General Counsel […] This article provides comprehensive coverage and analysis of current events.
Superman, Batman and Game of Thrones bosses Warner Bros Discovery joined Disney and Paramount today in putting the copyright infringement gears to TikTok owners ByteDance over AI generated videos of Darth Vader, the Marvel universe, and Tom Cruise. To that, WBD’s legal chief Wayne M. Smith made it very personal with ByteDance Global General Counsel […] (L-R) Robert Pattinson in 'The Batman' & David Corenswet in 'Superman' Everett Superman, Batman and Game of Thrones bosses Warner Bros Discovery joined Disney and Paramount today in putting the copyright infringement gears to TikTok owners ByteDance over AI generated videos of Darth Vader, the Marvel universe, and Tom Cruise. To that, WBD’s legal chief Wayne M. Smith made it very personal with ByteDance Global General Counsel John Rogovin in a cease and desist letter sent Tuesday. “Given your history with Warner Bros., you understand the importance and value of Warner Bros. Discovery’s copyrighted works, including the famous copyrighted characters like Superman and Batman that you spent much of your career protecting,” Smith said to the man who held his job up until resigning in 2022 soon after David Zaslav merged WB and Discovery. “These characters are the lifeblood of the company.” Related Stories Below The Line Jane Baer Dies: Longtime Disney Animator & Indie Studio Exec Who Created Toontown Scenes For 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' Was 91

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