Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Disney and Universal file US federal case in California against Midjourney for direct and secondary AI copyright infringement; seek injunction and profits/statutory damages

Published on: 12 June 2025

Published by a Law360 reporter

Legal News

Article summary

The pair of entertainment powerhouses told the court they had directed Midjourney Inc to cease exploiting their intellectual property, yet the firm allegedly disregarded letters and outreach. Rather than comply, Midjourney is said to have escalated its unlawful behaviour and even hinted at a forthcoming AI video product, according to Disney and Universal.

The complaint asserts that the plaintiffs asked Midjourney to halt infringement of their copyright-protected works and, at minimum, to implement technical safeguards—like those used by other AI platforms—to stop generating infringing content. But Midjourney, which has drawn millions of subscribers and reportedly took in US$300m last year, is portrayed as prioritising profit and ignoring the plaintiffs’ requests.

Based in San Francisco, Midjourney charges users for access to its website and image tool, which the filing says was developed using copyright-protected material, including those owned by Disney, Universal and their subsidiaries. The service allegedly functions by reproducing and supplying users with infringing copies and derivatives of those works. For instance, if a Midjourney subscriber enters a straightforward prompt seeking an image of Darth Vader in a certain scene or performing a specific action, the system will produce and show a high-quality, downloadable image featuring Disney’s copyright...

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