Warner Bros. Sues Midjourney Over AI-Generated Images of Iconic Characters
Warner Bros. has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against artificial intelligence startup Midjourney, alleging the company facilitates unauthorized creation of images and videos depicting well-known characters such as Superman, Batman, and Bugs Bunny.
According to the complaint, Midjourney previously restricted its users from generating content based on copyrighted images but recently removed these protections. Warner Bros. contends this change was a deliberate, profit-driven decision to disregard copyright owners’ rights despite awareness of widespread infringement.
“Midjourney has made a calculated and profit-driven decision to offer zero protection for copyright owners even though Midjourney knows about the breathtaking scope of its piracy and copyright infringement,” the lawsuit states.
Warner Bros. is seeking unspecified monetary damages, any profits Midjourney earned from the alleged infringement, and an injunction to prevent further violations.
Context Within Broader Industry Legal Challenges
This lawsuit follows a similar case filed in June 2025 by Walt Disney and Universal Studios against Midjourney, which focused on unauthorized use of characters like Darth Vader, Bart Simpson, and Shrek. In that case, Midjourney has asserted that training generative AI models on copyrighted works is permissible under the U.S. copyright law’s fair use doctrine.
Midjourney has not issued a public response to Warner Bros.’ complaint as of this writing.
FinOracleAI — Market View
Warner Bros.’ lawsuit against Midjourney underscores the growing legal scrutiny facing AI companies that generate content based on copyrighted material. The case highlights the tension between copyright holders’ rights and AI firms’ claims of fair use in model training. Potential outcomes could influence regulatory and legal frameworks governing AI-generated content, affecting operational and financial risks for AI startups.
Impact: negative
