On June 11, 2025, entertainment giants Disney and Universal filed a joint copyright infringement lawsuit against AI image generator Midjourney in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The suit accuses Midjourney of willfully copying and distributing unauthorized images of iconic characters owned by the studios, including Darth Vader, Elsa, Bart Simpson, Shrek, and the Minions.
The plaintiffs, Disney and Universal, claim that Midjourney’s AI image generation service, which earned $300 million in revenue last year, operates as a “virtual vending machine” for infringing content. According to the complaint, Midjourney trained its AI models on copyrighted material without permission and continues to generate, publicly display, and distribute derivative images of copyrighted characters.
Despite formal cease-and-desist letters from both Disney and Universal, the complaint states that Midjourney “doubled down” by releasing more advanced versions of its tool, promoting even higher-quality infringing images and developing a forthcoming commercial video generation service. The studios argue that Midjourney’s actions constitute both direct and secondary copyright infringement.
Disney and Universal are seeking a jury trial, an injunction to halt the copying and distribution of infringing content or halt the act without appropriate copyright protections, and unspecified monetary damages. They assert that Midjourney’s conduct “threatens to upend the bedrock incentives of U.S. copyright law” and harms the creative community that underpins the film and television industries.
Statements from studio executives underscored the stakes. Kim Harris, NBCUniversal’s Executive VP and General Counsel, said the lawsuit aims “to protect the hard work of all the artists whose work entertains and inspires us.” Horacio Gutierrez, Disney’s Chief Legal Officer, emphasized that while the company supports responsible use of AI, “piracy is piracy, and the fact that it’s done by an AI company does not make it any less infringing.”
Additional Reading
Disney, Universal sue image creator Midjourney for copyright infringement, Reuters (June 11, 2025)
Disney and Universal sue AI image company Midjourney for unlicensed use of Star Wars, The Simpsons and more, CNBC (June 11, 2025)
Disney, Universal v. Midjourney Complaint
Image Credit: Hamara / Shutterstock.com
