Disney & Universal v. Midjourney — Studio Copyright Action Against Image Generator (C.D. Cal.)
C.D. Cal. · Disney Enterprises, Inc. v. Midjourney, Inc., No. 2:25-cv-05275 (C.D. Cal.)
Disney and Universal — the first major Hollywood studios to sue a generative-AI company — filed a copyright action against Midjourney in June 2025 alleging Midjourney is a 'bottomless pit of plagiarism' that reproduces Star Wars, Marvel, Minions and other studio characters on demand.
Technical detail
Disney Enterprises, Inc. v. Midjourney, Inc., No. 2:25-cv-05275 (C.D. Cal., filed June 11, 2025). Claims: direct and contributory copyright infringement against image and video generators. Seeks injunction and statutory damages. Discovery began Q1 2026.
Who is protected: Major motion-picture studios and franchise rights-holders
Who must comply: Midjourney, Inc.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | C.D. Cal. |
|---|---|
| Level | Federal |
| Status | Blocked / in litigation |
| Protection strength | Moderate protection |
| Effective date | 2025-06-11 |
| Citation | Disney Enterprises, Inc. v. Midjourney, Inc., No. 2:25-cv-05275 (C.D. Cal.) |
| Topics | copyright and training data |
| Last verified | 2026-06-17 |
| Official source | Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney for Copyright Infringement — Variety ↗ |
More AI rules in C.D. Cal.
- Young v. NeoCortext (Reface) · Blocked / in litigation
Related copyright and training data rules elsewhere
- Copyright Office AI Guidance · In effect
- USPTO AI Inventorship Guidance · Repealed / replaced
- AB 2013 (Training Data Transparency) · In effect
- ELVIS Act · In effect
- SSB 5886 (WA Digital Likeness Rights) · In effect
- AR Generative AI Ownership Act (Act 927) · In effect
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction — every entry must carry a verifiable official source.