Ex-Maryland players sue Fortnite over 'Running Man Challenge' dance

Former Maryland basketball players Jared Nickens and Jaylen Brantley are suing the makers of Fortnite, accusing the video game of misappropriating the "Running Man Challenge" dance they popularized in 2016.

In a federal copyright infringement lawsuit filed Monday in Maryland, Nickens and Brantley claim Epic Games Inc. unfairly profited from the viral dance craze, according to Michael Kunzelman of The Associated Press.

The lawsuit states the "Running Man" dance that Fortnite players can purchase for their characters to perform is identical to the dance Nickens and Brantley take credit for creating. The duo is seeking more than $5 million in damages.

Rapper 2 Milly, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" actor Alfonso Ribeiro, and Instagram star Ryan "Backpack Kid" Huggins also filed lawsuits against Epic Games over dances featured in Fortnite. Company attorneys have argued that "no one can own a dance step or a simple dance routine."