'A Bottomless Pit of Plagiarism' — Disney and Universal Launch a Fierce Battle against a Mutual Rival: This War is Shaping Up to be Very Tough
We’ll see which of the giants will come out on top.
Who would've thought we'd see the day? Two of Hollywood’s fiercest rivals — Disney and Universal — putting down their lightsabers and Minions for a common cause. But in a twist worthy of its own cinematic universe, the two studios have filed a joint lawsuit against AI startup Midjourney, accusing it of mass copyright infringement. And let’s be clear — this isn’t just a legal spat. It’s a full-scale war.
Variety reveals, that filed on June 10, 2025, the lawsuit claims that Midjourney has been flooding the internet with AI-generated images featuring iconic characters like Elsa, Shrek, Iron Man, and Homer Simpson — all without permission and for profit. The companies allege that Midjourney not only allows users to create derivative content of copyrighted works, but actually encourages it, showcasing the results in its "Explore" section while charging subscription fees of up to $120 a month.
And Disney and NBCU are not mincing words. In a scathing statement, they called Midjourney a "bottomless pit of plagiarism" and a "copyright free-rider," warning that such conduct threatens to dismantle the entire creative foundation of the American film industry — an industry that fuels dreams, jobs, and over $260 billion in economic impact.
What happens when AI meets Mickey Mouse and the DreamWorks dragon? We’re about to find out.
