Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. sue Chinese AI firm MiniMax for copyright infringement using their characters to train AI.

Disney, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Discovery have filed a federal lawsuit against Chinese AI company MiniMax, accusing it of massive copyright infringement by using their copyrighted characters—such as Spider-Man, Batman, Darth Vader, and the Minions—to train its Hailuo AI system without permission. The studios claim MiniMax built a "bootlegging business model," profiting from unauthorized AI-generated content while marketing the service as a "Hollywood studio in your pocket." They allege the company ignored requests to stop infringement, actively encouraged it, and violated U.S. copyright law. Seeking damages, including profits from the alleged violations and up to $150,000 per infringed work, the studios demand a permanent injunction to halt the service until proper copyright protections are in place. This marks the first major lawsuit by U.S. entertainment giants against a Chinese AI firm, following similar actions against Midjourney.