The Batmobile is a car  that the fictional character of movies and comic, the Batman, needs to fight crime, designed to hold special gadgets and state-of-the-art weaponry and equipped with modern computers, wing-shaped tail fins, among others.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, Sept. 23 granted copyright protection for the Batmobile, with Judge Sandra Ikuta saying as an introduction to the ruling, “Holy copyright law, Batman!”

The 1992 Batmobile for Batman Returns, which was directed by Timothy Walter “Tim” Burton, has similarities to the Batmobile constructed for the 1989 Batman movie, also directed by Burton. DC Comics sued Mark Towle back in 2011 for making replica Batmobiles, alleging, among other things, copyright infringement and trademark infringement.

In the ruling, Ikuta added that the Batmobile, even though its concept changes with time and the imagination of its interpretations, remain the same in some aspects such as “bat-like external features, ready to leap into action to assist Batman in his fight against Gotham’s most dangerous villains” as well as “futuristic weapons and technology”.

If you’re dealing with an intellectual property issue, do not hesitate to seek the legal expertise of our attorneys at Gagnon, Peacock & Vereeke, P.C. in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and throughout the state of Texas by calling our offices today at (214) 317-4448 or 888-312-1750.