Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. sue Minimax over AI use of iconic characters

Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. Discovery have filed a lawsuit in California against Chinese company Minimax. The studios accuse Minimax of using their copyrighted characters, including Darth Vader, the Minions, and Wonder Woman, to promote its AI service Hailuo AI and generate content.

According to the complaint, Minimax ignored requests to add safeguards that other AI platforms typically use to prevent copyright violations. The studios argue that Minimax actively encouraged infringement by treating their characters as if they were its own property. They are seeking damages and an injunction to stop the service from operating without protections in place.

This case follows earlier actions against Midjourney. Disney and Universal filed suit in June, and Warner Bros. launched its own complaint in September.