Disney, Universal, Warner Bros Discovery Sue China’s MiniMax for Copyright Breach

Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros Discovery have filed a lawsuit against China’s MiniMax, alleging that its AI tool Hailuo unlawfully used stolen Hollywood intellectual property.

The lawsuit, filed in California, claims MiniMax exploited famous copyrighted characters to market the service as a “Hollywood studio in your pocket.”

According to the complaint, subscribers can generate downloadable images and videos of characters such as Darth Vader from Star Wars, the Minions from Despicable Me, and Wonder Woman, all stamped with MiniMax’s Hailuo branding.

The lawsuit alleges that MiniMax ignored requests to implement safeguards commonly used by other AI platforms to prevent infringement. Instead, the studios argue, the company actively encouraged infringement by disregarding U.S. copyright law and treating protected characters as its own.

"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," the companies said in a statement.

MiniMax operates on a subscription model and is valued at $4 billion. According to its website, its products serve more than 157 million individual users in over 200 countries and regions, as well as 50,000 enterprises and developers in more than 90 countries.

The case follows a similar lawsuit filed in June by Disney and Universal against Midjourney for offering unauthorized AI-generated copies of copyrighted work. Warner Bros Discovery also sued Midjourney earlier this month, echoing the same allegations.