Top Hollywood studios, including Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Universal Pictures, have filed a federal lawsuit against the Chinese artificial intelligence company MiniMax, alleging significant copyright infringement.
The studios accuse MiniMax of operating a “bootlegging business model” that systematically copies their most valuable copyrighted characters to train its AI system. The lawsuit claims that MiniMax profits by generating unauthorized videos featuring iconic figures such as Spider-Man, Batman, and the Minions.
This lawsuit is notable as it marks the first time major U.S. entertainment companies have targeted a Chinese AI firm. It follows a similar legal action taken in June against California-based AI company Midjourney over copyright infringement.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles federal court, states, “MiniMax operates Hailuo AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence image and video generating service that pirates and plunders Plaintiffs’ copyrighted works on a massive scale.”
The studios are seeking monetary damages, including MiniMax’s profits from the alleged infringement, as well as statutory damages of up to $150,000 per work. They are also demanding a permanent injunction to halt the unauthorized use of their copyrighted material.
According to the 119-page complaint, users of MiniMax can easily generate high-quality videos by typing prompts such as “Darth Vader walking around the Death Star” or “Spider-Man swinging between buildings,” featuring these protected characters.
The lawsuit claims, “MiniMax completely disregards U.S. copyright law and treats Plaintiffs’ valuable copyrighted characters like its own.” MiniMax, one of China’s emerging AI giants, was reportedly valued at $4 billion in 2025 after raising $850 million in venture capital.
The studios assert that they sent MiniMax a cease-and-desist letter outlining the extensive copyright violations, but the company did not respond substantively or cease its infringement as requested.
The studios argue that MiniMax could easily implement copyright protection measures similar to those used by other AI services but has chosen not to do so. A request for comment from MiniMax did not receive a response.
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