TLDR: In a significant move against generative artificial intelligence companies, media powerhouses Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Universal have jointly filed a lawsuit against Chinese firm MiniMax, the developer of the Hailuo AI app. The studios allege that Hailuo AI has engaged in ‘brazen copyright infringement’ by extensively using their intellectual property, including iconic characters from Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and Minions, to train its models and generate infringing content. The lawsuit, filed in California, seeks substantial damages and a permanent injunction against the app’s operations without proper copyright safeguards.
Los Angeles, CA – September 16, 2025 – Three of the entertainment industry’s most influential studios – The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Universal Pictures (a subsidiary of Comcast) – have launched a unified legal challenge against MiniMax, a China-based technology company, for alleged widespread copyright infringement by its generative AI application, Hailuo AI. The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. District Court in California on Tuesday, accuses MiniMax of ‘pirating and plundering Plaintiffs’ copyrighted works on a massive scale’ to fuel its image and video generation platform.
The complaint details how Hailuo AI, marketed as a ‘Hollywood studio in your pocket’ for iOS and Android devices, allegedly enables users to create images and videos featuring copyrighted characters such as Darth Vader from ‘Star Wars,’ Minions from ‘Despicable Me,’ and DC Comics’ Wonder Woman, often bearing MiniMax Hailuo branding. The studios presented dozens of screenshots of these infringing generated images and promotional advertisements as evidence, which explicitly invite users to leverage protected works for custom video creation.
According to the plaintiffs, MiniMax’s business model is ‘purposefully built around infringing on protected works,’ demonstrating a ‘willful and brazen’ defiance of U.S. copyright law. The lawsuit further asserts that MiniMax not only failed to implement reasonable measures to prevent infringement but actively encouraged such unauthorized creations, disregarding previous requests from the studios to address these issues.
This joint action marks a significant escalation in Hollywood’s ongoing battle with generative AI. The studios are seeking any profits or financial gains derived from MiniMax’s alleged copyright infringement, along with a court order to halt the infringement and prevent the company from offering the Hailuo AI service without appropriate copyright protections. Damages could amount to up to $150,000 per infringed work.
In a joint statement, the companies emphasized their commitment to intellectual property rights: ‘A responsible approach to AI innovation is critical, and today’s lawsuit against MiniMax again demonstrates our shared commitment to holding accountable those who violate copyright laws, wherever they may be based.’
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This lawsuit is the latest in a series of high-profile legal actions initiated by media entities against AI content generators. Earlier this month, Warner Bros. Discovery sued the popular AI image generator Midjourney over similar claims. Disney and Universal Studios had also filed a joint suit against Midjourney in June. Beyond film and television, the publishing industry has also seen its share of legal disputes, including a recent $1.5 billion settlement (later rejected by a judge) involving AI company Anthropic and over 500,000 authors, and a separate lawsuit against Apple for allegedly using pirated books to train its AI models.
