Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros Discovery have jointly filed a lawsuit against popular Chinese video generator Hailuo AI, over what they claim is “wilful and brazen” copyright infringement.
Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros Discovery sued Chinese AI firm MiniMax in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Tuesday. MiniMax owns Hailuo AI, a video generation tool that promotes itself as a “Hollywood studio in your pocket,” according to a report by Reuters.
The studios allege that MiniMax ignored U.S. copyright protections by using their characters as its own. The lawsuit states the Chinese company “audaciously” used these well-known characters to market and advertise Hailuo AI.
According to the filing, Hailuo allows subscribers to create downloadable videos and images of characters including Darth Vader from Star Wars, Bart from The Simpsons, and Iron Man — all carrying MiniMax Hailuo branding.
“MiniMax’s bootlegging business model and defiance of U.S. copyright law are not only an attack on Plaintiffs and the hard-working creative community that brings the magic of movies to life, but are also a broader threat to the American motion picture industry,” the companies state in their complaint.
The studios are asking the court to bar MiniMax from further infringement. They are also seeking damages of up to $150,000 per copyrighted work, along with attorney fees and costs.
First-Ever US Lawsuit Against a Chinese AI Firm
The case marks the first time a Chinese AI firm has faced such a lawsuit in the U.S. and follows a growing number of copyright disputes between Hollywood studios and AI companies.
In June, Disney and Universal filed a joint lawsuit against Midjourney, accusing it of widespread copyright infringement in a case that could help redefine Hollywood’s copyright rules. Warner Bros later joined the companies’ lawsuit against the generative AI company.
However, in an explosive first response to the lawsuit last month, Midjourney condemned Disney and Universal — arguing that the company has no power to prevent AI training on its works. Midjourney’s attorneys say the company operates within fair use limits and accused Disney and Universal of also benefiting from generative AI. They claimed that Midjourney is widely used by visual effects companies and other vendors working with Disney and Universal.
Image credits: All photos via court documents.