Warner Bros countersues YouTube critic over ‘The Batman’ review dispute

A federal judge previously allowed the creator’s amended DMCA misrepresentation claim to proceed in court

A legal dispute between Warner Bros and YouTube film critic Andrew Dayne Sosa has entered a new phase after the studio filed a counterclaim over material used in a review of The Batman.

The case stems from a review video uploaded by Sosa about Matt Reeves’ 2022 superhero film starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne. According to court filings, Warner Bros previously sent a copyright takedown notice to YouTube, which resulted in the removal of the video from the platform.

Sosa argued that his review constituted fair use because it was commentary and criticism. He subsequently sued under Section 512(f) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, alleging that the takedown notice had been improperly issued.

Warner Bros later withdrew the copyright claim and the review video was restored. However, Sosa maintained that the interruption harmed the video’s performance and prevented it from regaining its original audience reach.

The case was initially filed without legal representation before being transferred to federal court in Northern California. Judge William H Orrick previously dismissed several claims, including those directed at YouTube, but allowed Sosa to amend his Digital Millennium Copyright Act misrepresentation allegation.

During earlier proceedings, the court noted that neither side had produced the original takedown notice. According to reports from the hearing, lawyers representing Warner Bros acknowledged they had not personally reviewed the notice in question.

Sosa has argued that the use of copyrighted images within a film review falls under fair use protections. He also referenced an email allegedly received after the removal of the video. In that message, a marketing contact reportedly suggested that spoilers could have contributed to the takedown.

Warner Bros disputed that interpretation and argued that the issue concerned copyrighted assets from The Batman, including an official promotional poster and screenshots used in the review.

The studio has now filed a counterclaim accusing Sosa of copyright infringement over those materials. The move escalates a dispute that has become closely watched by online creators and legal observers interested in the boundaries between copyright enforcement and fair use.

At present, none of Sosa’s allegations against Warner Bros have been proven in court, and the litigation remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros is continuing development on The Batman Part II, which is currently scheduled for release on October 1, 2027.