Disney, Universal, Warner Bros Discovery sue MiniMax for copyright infringement
Disney, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Discovery sued Chinese AI company MiniMax, alleging its Hailuo AI service generates copyrighted movie characters without authorization. The studios seek damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work and a court order to halt the service.
What happened
Walt Disney Co., Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Discovery filed a joint copyright lawsuit against Chinese AI company MiniMax in US District Court in Los Angeles on September 16, 2025.
The lawsuit alleges that MiniMax's image- and video-generating service Hailuo AI was built using copyrighted material and generates iconic characters including Darth Vader, the Minions, and Wonder Woman without permission, marketed as a 'Hollywood studio in your pocket.'
Reported impact
Users of Hailuo AI can enter text prompts to generate high-quality, downloadable images or videos of copyrighted characters such as Yoda, Superman, the Joker and Groot with MiniMax Hailuo branding.
Index analysis
The studios alleged that MiniMax failed to act on their requests to implement safeguards to prevent infringement and actively encouraged infringement by disregarding U.S. copyright law.
The studios are seeking damages of up to $150,000 for each infringed work, attorney fees and costs, and a court order to halt the infringement and prevent the company from offering Hailuo AI without appropriate copyright protections.
Governance controls
The studios stated that a responsible approach to AI innovation is critical and that the lawsuit demonstrates their commitment to holding accountable those who violate copyright laws.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.