IP Law Daily, COPYRIGHT NEWS: Hollywood studios sue Chinese AI Company MiniMax for copyright infringement, (Sep 17, 2025)

By Carolin Dennis, B.Sc., LL.B., LL.M.

The complaint alleges that MiniMax is exploiting valuable intellectual property of movie studios like Disney, Warner Bros., Discovery, and Universal by providing subscribers with countless copies and derivatives of their Copyrighted Works.

Several movie studios have filed a complaint for direct and secondary copyright infringement under the Copyright Act in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against a Chinese AI companies MiniMax and Shanghai Xiyu Jizhi Technology Co. Ltd., of which MiniMax is a division or subsidiary, along with their affiliate and/or agent, and Nanonoble Pte. Ltd. which operates at the direction and under the control of MiniMax (collectively, MiniMax). “MiniMax operates Hailuo AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence (“AI”) image and video generating service that pirates and plunders Plaintiffs’ copyrighted works on a massive scale,” the compliant alleges. The plaintiffs seek preliminary and permanent injunctive relief as well as compensatory damages and fees and costs necessitated by MiniMax’s infringement (Disney Enterprises, Inc. v. MiniMax, No. 2:25-cv-08768 (C.D. Cal. filed on Sept. 16, 2025)).

The plaintiffs filing the complaint are Hollywood studios Disney Enterprises, Inc., Marvel Characters, Inc., MVL Film Finance LLC, Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Universal City Studios Productions LLLP, DreamWorks Animation L.L.C., Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., DC Comics, The Cartoon Network, Inc., Turner Entertainment Co., and Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. (collectively, plaintiffs). The plaintiffs are the largest movie studios in the world and many of the plaintiffs’ most successful and critically acclaimed movies are exceptional and valuable because of the larger than life characters featured in those works. They include heroes like Spider-Man and Superman; villains like Darth Vader and the Joker; popular animated characters like Shrek and the Minions from Despicable Me; astronaut toys like Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear; and classic cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry. The plaintiffs’ successful monetization of their copyrighted works and characters across so many different channels and markets is not only a testament to their investment in human creativity, but also to the plaintiffs’ constant innovation.

According to the complaint, MiniMax operates Hailuo AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) image and video generating service that pirates and plunders the plaintiffs’ copyrighted works. MiniMax markets Hailuo AI as a “Hollywood studio in your pocket” and the Hailuo service offers its subscribers an endless supply of infringing images and videos featuring the plaintiffs’ famous copyrighted characters. Further, without any regard for U.S. copyright laws, MiniMax encourages consumers to download its Hailuo AI app for the express purpose of distributing infringing content featuring Plaintiffs’ copyrighted characters.

The complaint provides several examples of MiniMax’s alleged infringement. These include generated images of superheroes, villains, and other beloved characters like Darth Vader, Yoda, Minions, Iron Man, Deadpool, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, the Joker and more. Additionally, MiniMax’s official YouTube channel promoted and continues to promote a video titled “Hailuo AI | Superheroes will heal your soul” which features many of the plaintiffs’ characters including Deadpool, Batman, The Joker, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, Thanos, Superman, Groot, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Flash, Wolverine, and more.

The plaintiffs contended that they never authorized MiniMax to reproduce, publicly display, publicly perform, distribute, make derivatives of, or otherwise exploit their copyrighted works. However, MiniMax has directly infringed the plaintiffs’ copyrighted works by unlawfully reproducing, publicly displaying, publicly performing, distributing, and making derivative works based on the plaintiffs’ copyrighted works both in developing and training the Hailuo AI service and in the outputs MiniMax generates for its subscribers.

The plaintiffs claimed that MiniMax’s infringement of its copyrighted works is manifestly willful. On August 27, 2025, the plaintiffs sent MiniMax a letter detailing its extensive infringement of their copyrighted works. In the letter, the plaintiffs put MiniMax on notice that Hailuo AI was generating videos and images of the plaintiffs’ iconic characters. However, MiniMax did not substantively respond to the plaintiffs’ letter as requested and did not cease its infringement. Further, despite being put on notice of its infringement of the plaintiffs’ copyrighted works, MiniMax has not implemented any reasonable technical measures or otherwise attempted to cease its infringement or purge its social media accounts and Explore page of the numerous videos and images infringing the plaintiffs’ copyrighted works.

The plaintiffs argued that MiniMax illegally and unfairly competed with companies that license the plaintiffs’ copyrighted works for the purpose of creating authorized derivatives and undercuts those existing and potential licensing markets. Thus, MiniMax’s unlawful conduct has caused, and will continue to cause, substantial and irreparable harm to the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs also contended that MiniMax is contributing to consumer confusion regarding what is lawful and what is not lawful by misleading its subscribers to believe that the plaintiffs somehow authorized MiniMax’s massive copying and the countless infringing videos and images generated by Hailuo AI.

Claims, remedies sought. The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and assert two causes of action: (1) direct copyright infringement, and (2) secondary copyright infringement. The plaintiffs ask the court for preliminary and/or permanent injunctive relief enjoining and restraining MiniMax, and all of its officers, agents, servants, and employees and all persons acting in concert or participation with MiniMax, from: infringing the plaintiffs’ exclusive rights under the Copyright Act by copying, publicly displaying, publicly performing, and/or distributing the plaintiffs’ Copyrighted Works; and offering Hailuo AI without appropriate copyright protection measures to prevent such infringement. They also seek statutory damages, actual damages, restitution of profits, costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees as permitted by law, and such other or further relief as the court may deem just and proper.

The Case is No. 2:25-cv-08768.

Attorneys: David R. Singer (Jenner & Block LLP) for Disney Enterprises, Inc., Universal City Studios Productions LLLP, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Marvel Characters, Inc., MVL Film Finance LLC, Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, DC Comics, The Cartoon Network, Inc., Turner Entertainment Co., Hannabarbera Productions, Inc., and Dreamworks Animation L.L.C.

Companies: Disney Enterprises, Inc., Universal City Studios Productions LLLP; Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.; Marvel Characters, Inc.; MVL Film Finance LLC; Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; DC Comics; The Cartoon Network, Inc.; Turner Entertainment Co., Hannabarbera Productions, Inc.; Dreamworks Animation L.L.C.; Minimax; Shanghai Xiyu Jizhi Technology Co Ltd.; Nanonoble Pte. Ltd.

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