Warner Bros. Revelation Joins Legal Battle Against AI Image Generator Midjourney
Los Angeles, CA – Warner Bros.Discovery has officially filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against AI company Midjourney Inc., escalating the legal conflict surrounding the use of artificial intelligence to replicate copyrighted characters. The suit, filed thursday in Los Angeles Federal Court, alleges unauthorized reproduction of iconic characters including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Scooby-Doo.
This action adds Warner Bros. Discovery to a growing coalition of major studios challenging AI’s use of licensed characters. Walt Disney Co. and Comcast-owned Universal Pictures initiated similar lawsuits against midjourney in June. Together, these three companies control a notable portion of the entertainment industry’s most valuable intellectual property.
Warner Bros.Discovery stated, according to a statement reported by the LA times and AFP, “The essence of what we do is develop stories and characters to entertain the audience, realize the vision and spirit of our creative partners…Midjourney openly and deliberately violated copyright, and we filed this lawsuit to protect our content, partners and investments.”
The lawsuit is being brought on behalf of Warner Bros. Discovery’s units, including DC Comics, Turner Entertainment Co., Hanna-Barbera Productions Inc., and Cartoon Network. the company is seeking unspecified damages and a court order to halt Midjourney’s alleged copyright violations.
Specifically, the suit claims Midjourney’s AI image generator produces outputs that are strikingly similar, and in certain specific cases identical, to warner Bros. Discovery’s original copyrighted characters, even replicating specific visual details like collar colors and Scooby-Doo’s feather patterns.
Midjourney, a San Francisco-based company describing itself as an autonomous research laboratory, has not yet issued an official response to the allegations.
Warner Bros. Discovery asserts that, under US copyright law, the company holds exclusive rights to commercially exploit its characters through reproduction, derivative works, distribution, public display, and the creation of shows and videos featuring them.
The lawsuit also highlights the financial meaning of Warner Bros. Discovery’s franchises, notably the DC Extended Universe, which generated over $7 billion in global ticket sales between 2018 and 2023, averaging $479 million per film.
This legal action comes amid growing concerns within the entertainment industry – voiced by actors, writers, and studios alike – regarding the impact of generative AI on intellectual property rights and job security.
Disney has publicly expressed support for Warner Bros. Discovery’s lawsuit, stating, “Disney is committed to protecting our creators and innovators, and we are happy to be able to join Warner Bros. Discovery in fighting Copyright Violations that are openly by MidJourney.”
The increasing number of high-profile companies taking legal action against Midjourney suggests this case will be pivotal in defining the legal boundaries of AI’s use within the entertainment industry.
