Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal have filed a lawsuit in California against Chinese AI company MiniMax, accusing it of large-scale copyright infringement.
The studios allege that MiniMax’s Hailuo AI service generates unauthorised images and videos featuring well-known characters such as Darth Vader, marketing itself as a ‘Hollywood studio in your pocket’ instead of respecting copyright laws.
According to the complaint, MiniMax, reportedly worth $4 billion, ignored cease-and-desist requests and continues to profit from copyrighted works. The studios argue that the company could easily implement safeguards, pointing to existing controls that already block violent or explicit content.
MiniMax’s approach, as they claim, represents a serious threat to both creators and the broader film industry, which contributes hundreds of billions of dollars to the US economy.
Plaintiffs, including Disney’s Marvel and Lucasfilm units, Universal’s DreamWorks Animation and Warner Bros.’ DC Comics, are seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work or unspecified compensation.
They are also asking for an injunction to prevent MiniMax from continuing its alleged violations instead of simply paying damages.
The Motion Picture Association has backed the lawsuit, with its chairman Charles Rivkin warning that unchecked copyright infringement could undermine millions of jobs and the cultural value created by the American film industry.
MiniMax, based in Shanghai, has not responded publicly to the claims but has previously described itself as a global AI foundation model company with over 157 million users worldwide.
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