Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBCUniversal have filed a federal lawsuit against MiniMax, a Chinese AI company, accusing it of large-scale copyright infringement through its image and video generation platform, Hailuo AI. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that MiniMax has “willfully and brazenly” exploited the studios’ intellectual property without authorization.
The media giants claim MiniMax’s Hailuo AI service unlawfully generates high-quality images and videos of copyrighted characters, including iconic figures like Disney’s Darth Vader, in direct violation of U.S. copyright law. Describing the platform as a “Hollywood studio in your pocket,” the lawsuit states that MiniMax has built its business “from intellectual property stolen from Hollywood studios like Plaintiffs.”
The plaintiffs, which include entities from Disney (Marvel, Lucasfilm, Twentieth Century Fox), Universal (DreamWorks Animation), and Warner Bros. Discovery (DC Comics, Cartoon Network, Hanna-Barbera), argue that MiniMax’s actions threaten not only their own rights but also the broader creative industry. “MiniMax’s bootlegging business model and defiance of U.S. copyright law are… a broader threat to the American motion picture industry,” the suit claims, highlighting the industry's significant economic and employment contributions.
In a joint statement, the companies emphasized their support for responsible AI innovation that respects intellectual property: “Today’s lawsuit against MiniMax again demonstrates our shared commitment to holding accountable those who violate copyright laws, wherever they may be based.”
The studios provided visual examples in the lawsuit, such as AI-generated images of Darth Vader, created simply by entering text prompts. They also noted that MiniMax ignored cease-and-desist letters and continues to operate despite having technological tools to restrict content generation, such as filters for nudity and violence.
The suit also names MiniMax’s parent company, Shanghai Xiyu Jizhi Technology Co. Ltd., as a co-defendant. MiniMax, reportedly valued at $4 billion and claiming over 157 million users globally, has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
The studios are seeking unspecified financial compensation or maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per infringed work, along with a court injunction to stop MiniMax from using their copyrighted material.
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