Opinion ID: 4556094
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Scènes à Faire

Text: To be sure, even if Abdin's expression of the tardigrade surpassed an unparticularized rendering of . . . [the] idea of a tardigrade, Azrak-Hamway Int'l, Inc., 724 F.2d at 360, the features and themes involving space travel would still be unprotected as scènes à faire, elements that are as a practical matter indispensable, or at least standard, in the science fiction genre. Hudson v. Universal Studios, Inc., No. 04-civ-6997 (GEL), 2008 WL 4701488, at  (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 23, 2008), aff'd, 369 Fed. App'x 291 (2d Cir. 2010). Certain elements of works can be unprotectible under the doctrine of scènes à faire. See Zalewski v. Cicero Builder Dev., Inc., 754 F.3d 95, 102 (2d Cir. 2014) ([E]lements of a work that are indispensable, or at least standard, in the treatment of a given topic -- like cowboys, bank robbers, and shootouts in stories of the American West -- get no protection. (internal quotation marks omitted)); Crichton, 84 F.3d at 589 (holding that electrified fences, automated tours, dinosaur nurseries, and uniformed workers are typical scènes à faire that flow from the uncopyrightable idea of a dinosaur zoo). Copyright protection does not extend to 'stock' themes commonly linked to a particular genre. Walker v. Time Life Films, Inc., 784 F.2d 44, 50 (2d Cir. 1986). 29 Here, the science fiction genre typically involves stock themes, such as space travel, supernatural forces, war games, alien discovery, and adventuring through space. For example, themes of spaceships and space exploration have been commonplace in the science fiction genre since at least the early 1900s. See A Trip to the Moon (Star Film Company 1902) (George Méliès's classic silent film depicting space travel to the moon); Flash Gordon (King Features Productions 1936) (serial film featuring a rocket ship flown to the planet Mongo); Buck Rogers (Universal Pictures 1939) (serial film featuring a space ship flown to Saturn); Mego Corp v. Mattel, Inc., No. 78-cv-4447, 1978 WL 21347, at  (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 1978) (The popularity of the theme of spaceships and space warriors and related subjects is well-known and the success of the motion picture Star Wars and the success of Star Trek and other such vehicles is something that this Court can judicially note.); FASA Corp. v. Playmates Toys, Inc., 869 F. Supp. 1334, 1351 n.32 (N.D. Ill. 1994) (describing war fought in the far reaches of space as a classic element of great science fiction (citation omitted)). Further, alien encounters are also a generic theme that routinely appears throughout the science fiction genre and is not entitled to copyright protection. See Muller v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., 794 F. Supp. 2d 429, 30 436-37 (S.D.N.Y. 2011), aff'd sub nom. Muller v. Anderson, 501 F. App'x 82-83 (2d Cir. 2012) (describing two well-known extra-terrestrial monsters and their hostile interactions with humans and Earth as part of the Alien and Predator franchises); Moore v. Lightstorm Entm't, 992 F. Supp. 2d 543, 556 (D. Md.), aff'd sub nom. Moore v. Lightstorm Entm't, Inc., 586 F. App'x 143 (4th Cir. 2014) (describing the generic theme of futuristic stories about conflicts between humans and aliens). Likewise, copyright also does not protect generic themes and storylines involving aliens or advanced technology. See Wavelength Film Co. v. Columbia Pictures Indus., Inc., 631 F. Supp. 305, 307 (N.D. Ill. 1986) (describing indispensable elements in science fiction: an alien arrives on earth in a spaceship; all humans are afraid of the unknown alien; governmental authorities are trying to capture or destroy the alien; one human becomes friendly with the alien and tries to help it return home safely; and the alien leaves earth on a spaceship); Historical Truth Prods., Inc. v. Sony Pictures Entm't, Inc., No. 93-civ-5529 (MBM), 1995 WL 693189, at  (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 22, 1995) ([C]onspiracies, characters with superhuman qualities, and advanced technology . . . are unoriginal and uncopyrightable stock elements of the action-adventure and science fiction film genres.). 31 Here, we have little trouble concluding that many of the alleged similarities in the parties' works (e.g., the use of a space ship, space travel, and alien encounters) are unprotectible elements that follow naturally from a work's theme rather than from an author's creativity. MyWebGrocer, LLC v. Hometown Info, Inc., 375 F.3d 190, 194 (2d Cir. 2004). Likewise, the basic idea of a tardigrade traveling in space is a natural extension of the tardigrades' known ability to survive in space. Similarly, the idea of a tardigrade facilitating space travel is also unprotectible. Cf. Basile v. Warner Bros. Entm't, No. 15-cv-5243 (DMG), 2016 WL 5867432, at  (C.D. Cal. Jan. 4, 2016) ([M]any science fiction and actionadventure films contain characters with various physiological and technological enhancements. This general and familiar science fiction trope is not a protectible element and does not establish a substantial similarity between the plots of the works.), aff'd, 678 F. App'x 604 (9th Cir. 2017). In sum, numerous elements that Abdin alleges are unlawful similarities between the works are not protected by copyright law because they are scènes à faire typical in the science fiction genre.