Jason Steele, the mind behind Charlie the Unicorn, has recently taken a stand against Warner Bros., criticizing the entertainment giant for allegedly using audio from his beloved internet animation in a promotional campaign for MultiVersus—without his permission.
Allegations Against Warner Bros.
In a teaser video that was later taken down, Warner Bros. showcased the Unicorndog skin for the character Reindog and invited viewers to join the adventure in the Candy Kingdom.
The clip featured three Unicorndogs that closely resembled the unicorns from Steele’s original work, including audio clips that were directly lifted from his iconic Charlie the Unicorn short.
Taking to social media platform X, Steele voiced his frustrations, pointing out that Warner Bros., which rakes in around $40 billion each year, was leveraging his intellectual property for their marketing efforts without the necessary approval.
He emphasized that such actions raise critical questions about ownership and rights in creative work.
Steele’s Perspective on Usage
In a follow-up discussion on Reddit, Steele elaborated on his views regarding the use of his creations.
He conveyed that he generally supports the use of his work in non-commercial settings and has granted permission for similar uses in the past.
However, he drew a clear line between acceptable usage—like content for platforms such as YouTube or TikTok—and commercial applications of his audio, which, in his opinion, fall short of fair use standards.
While Steele acknowledged that the decision wasn’t likely made by Warner Bros.’ CEO directly, he held the company accountable for profiting from his work while neglecting to obtain the appropriate licenses for its promotional endeavors.
The MultiVersus Background
Since its open beta launch in 2022, MultiVersus has encountered a rocky development path.
Earlier this year, Player First Games, the studio behind the game, became part of the Warner Bros. family as well.
Source: Eurogamer