Latest news with #KungFuPanda
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hollywood Showdown Begins: Disney And Universal Sue $300M AI Startup Midjourney For 'Bottomless Pit Of Plagiarism' In Blockbuster Case
Disney (NYSE:DIS) and Universal, the powerhouse studios behind Star Wars, Frozen, and Kung Fu Panda, have filed a major copyright lawsuit involving an AI startup, described by Entrepreneur as a potential first for Hollywood. The case targets Midjourney, a text-to-image generator that allegedly enabled users to produce visuals featuring copyrighted characters owned by the studios. Filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, the 110-page complaint accuses Midjourney of building a commercial enterprise off protected intellectual property. According to the lawsuit, the studios had issued cease-and-desist letters to Midjourney's counsel, demanding the unauthorized content be stopped. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can 'Midjourney, which has attracted millions of subscribers and made $300 million last year alone, is focused on its own bottom line and ignored Plaintiffs' demands,' the filing reads. When those warnings were ignored, Disney and Universal moved forward with legal action. The lawsuit says that Midjourney's paid plans reportedly range from $10 to $120 per month, contributing to its explosive financial growth since launching. Founded in 2021, Midjourney has grown rapidly by offering AI-generated images within seconds, fueled entirely by user prompts. With just 11 full-time employees, the company describes itself as a small, self-funded operation. The lawsuit alleges its rapid expansion has come at the expense of long-established copyrights, turning beloved characters into AI fodder without authorization. Trending: Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:. The lawsuit highlights a roster of well-known characters allegedly reproduced by Midjourney's platform. Disney's complaint cites the unauthorized use of Darth Vader from Star Wars, Elsa from Frozen, Lightning McQueen from Cars, and Homer Simpson from The Simpsons. Universal's claims include the depiction of Minions from Despicable Me, Po from Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, as well as Hiccup and Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. According to the filing, only the studios maintain legal rights to commercialize these characters and develop content or merchandise around them. One line in the complaint describes Midjourney as a "bottomless pit of plagiarism," accusing the startup of undermining the basic framework of U.S. copyright law. The studios are seeking a jury trial to establish boundaries around what generative AI platforms can legally the filing, Disney and Universal frame the lawsuit as more than a defense of individual characters, describing Midjourney's business model as a direct threat to the creative economy and the broader U.S. film industry. Calling the infringement "systematic, ongoing, and willful," the plaintiffs argue the damage is both substantial and irreparable, not just to their own properties but to the incentive system that fuels the $260 billion American motion picture economy. The lawsuit arrives during a critical moment for AI litigation. Just one week prior, Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) filed its own suit against Anthropic, alleging unauthorized use of its forum content for AI training purposes, The Wall Street Journal reports. Getty Images (NYSE:GETY) is also pursuing a multimillion dollar case against Stability AI for allegedly scraping over 12 million copyrighted visuals from its platform. Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Hollywood Showdown Begins: Disney And Universal Sue $300M AI Startup Midjourney For 'Bottomless Pit Of Plagiarism' In Blockbuster Case originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
9 News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- 9 News
Famous faces take to streets as No Kings protests attract thousands across US
The mass "No Kings" demonstrations held across the US to protest US President Donald Trump and his military parade attracted some very famous faces. Over 2000 protests took place in 50 different US states to rail against "authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarisation of our democracy" under Trump, according to organisers. Marchers took to the streets at the same time a military parade rolled through Washington, DC, to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Army, which also happened to be Trump's 79th birthday. Among those who joined the protest in Los Angeles was talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel took to Instagram to praise the "peaceful" demonstration he attended in South Bay, a south-west region of LA. "A huge, inspiring and yes – peaceful – turnout in the South Bay. I met many people who love this country and still believe it to be a force for good," Kimmel, who wore a "Make America Good Again!" shirt, posted on Instagram. "I am grateful to see so many Americans take action to stand up for our friends and neighbours, most of all, my parents. "I know how fortunate I am to have been born into a family that taught me to care about others and that the most important words ever spoken are "Love one another." It really is as simple as that." Kung Fu Panda star Jack Black was also spotted by protesters walking down the street during another No Kings march in Los Angeles. It remains unclear if Black was joining the protest or happened to be walking past at the same time. Footage shared on TikTok shows the actor crossing the road and being accosted by fans. Over on the east coast, A-listers Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon were seen joining protests in New York City. Several other celebrities took to Instagram to share images of themselves holding signs, including Anna Kendrick, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Marisa Tomei and Kerry Washington. Seinfeld star Louis-Dreyfus held a sign which read: "The only monarch I like is a butterfly." Tensions boil at 'No Kings' protests Demonstrators poured onto streets and parks to decry the Republican president as a dictator or would-be king, overshadowing celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the US Army – and what is also Trump's birthday. Huge, boisterous crowds marched in New York, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, some behind "no kings" banners. Atlanta's 5000-capacity event quickly reached its limit, with thousands more gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol. In Washington, anti-war protesters unfurled signs that said "Homes not drones" not far from a display of armoured vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment on the National Mall set up to commemorate the Army's birthday. In some places, organisers handed out little American flags while others flew their flags upside down, a sign of distress. Mexican flags, which have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, also made an appearance at some demonstrations on Saturday. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hollywood Studios' First Lawsuit on AI Sends a Warning to Tech Giants: ‘Piracy Is Piracy'
It seemed like only a matter of time before Hollywood's studios fired their own legal salvo in the battle over IP protection in a time of technological upheaval, and on Wednesday they did. Disney and Universal sued Midjourney, the company behind one of the most popular generative AI software programs used today, for copyright infringement. The 143-page lawsuit is filled with dozens of pictures comparing screenshots of popular films and TV shows, ranging from 'Frozen' and 'Kung Fu Panda' to 'Deadpool' and 'Star Wars,' to Midjourney-generated AI images of characters from those franchises. 'By helping itself to Plaintiffs' copyrighted works […] Midjourney is the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism,' Disney and NBCU said in the lawsuit. 'Piracy is piracy, and whether an infringing image or video is made with AI or another technology does not make it any less infringing. Midjourney's conduct […] threatens to upend the bedrock incentives of U.S. copyright law.' Representatives for Midjourney did not respond to multiple requests for comment from TheWrap. The new lawsuit shows that even as companies like Disney look for ways that it can embrace AI, they share similar concerns about its abuse with the artists who create the work that lies at the foundation of their profits. Legal experts tell TheWrap that Disney and Universal's move signals a new era in the already-uneasy relationship between Hollywood and AI companies, and it will likely set the ground rules for how the two sides work together — if that is possible — moving forward. 'There is a clear path forward through partnerships that both further AI innovation and foster human artistry. Unfortunately, some bad actors – like Midjourney – see only a zero-sum, winner-take-all game,' RIAA chairman/CEO Mitch Glazier said in a statement. Bryn Mooser, the head of Asteria, a generative AI film studio that says it is 'powered by the first clean and ethical AI model,' told TheWrap he sides with Disney and Universal after reading the lawsuit. 'There's no question to me that the studios are right,' the Emmy-winning filmmaker said. 'Disney and Universal are absolutely right to be demanding that AI models have consent.' Midjourney is a San Francisco-based AI company founded in 2021. The company offers a text-to-image tool, similar to other AI companies, that allows users to create images based on what they type into its prompt. Midjourney had $300 million in sales last year, according to the Disney-Universal lawsuit, which is driven by user subscriptions. That makes it relatively small compared to other AI companies like OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, which hit $10 billion in annual recurring revenue, CNBC reported this week. The lawsuit claims Midjourney has committed 'countless' copyright violations against Disney and Universal. The studios are 'entitled to damages and Midjourney's profits in an amount according to proof,' the lawsuit said, as well as statutory damages up to $150,000 per infringed work. Disney and Universal's filing listed 199 titles that the studios claim had been infringed upon, which would equal $29.9 million in statutory damages. 'Midjourney's large-scale infringement is systemic, ongoing and willful,' the lawsuit claimed. 'And plaintiffs have been, and continue to be, substantially and irreparably harmed by it.' So why target Midjourney in the lawsuit? While it's not as big as ChatGPT, image-generating software like Midjourney is a particular thorn in Hollywood's side. That has been the case even as studios have begun researching ways to use AI to make their production processes and business practices more efficient, as Disney did when it established a new Office of Technology Enablement last November to oversee those efforts. As the lawsuit notes, Midjourney has more than 21 million users that have generated images using the AI software based on copyrighted material. The lawsuit also accuses Midjourney of training its developing image-to-video software on copyrighted material, as well as its upcoming text-to-video model. While not yet capable of producing video at feature-quality 4K resolution, AI experts have told TheWrap that they predict, at its current rate of development, that generative AI software will be capable of creating consistent, 2K-resolution video by the end of the year. If Midjourney is capable of producing mass quantities of artwork of copyrighted characters that are consistent with the art style of the actual films and TV shows they come from, a future where anyone can produce fake clips of 'The Simpsons' or 'Shrek' with a few prompts and clicks is the last thing studios want. Lily Li, a tech-focused attorney for Metaverse Law in Newport Beach, California, said the Disney and Universal lawsuit falls in a legal 'gray area' that will come down to two key factors: How 'transformative' Midjourney's AI-generated content is. In other words, does its text-to-image generator create characters that are too similar in appearance to Disney and Universal characters without consent? The studios, in their lawsuit, argued that is the case, saying Midjourney 'blatantly' ripped off characters like Homer Simpson and Elsa from 'Frozen,' among many others. How was the content that Midjourney used for its model obtained? If Midjourney scraped Disney and Universal content that was behind a paywall and/or without consent from the studios, that could be another major problem for the AI company, Li said. Midjourney, according to the lawsuit, 'never sought any copyright content holders' consent to copy and exploit their works.' Attorney Dustin Taylor, an IP expert with Husch Blackwell, told TheWrap he agreed with Li the 'transformative' nature of the AI-generated content will be a critical point — and he said the pictures Disney and Universal included in their lawsuit to back up that claim are fairly damning: 'The similarity is so strong there.' How will the lawsuit shake out? Both Li and Taylor said that will ultimately come down to what a courtroom decides on the two points above. The 'cutting edge' nature of the case makes it difficult to predict how it will be resolved, Taylor said. But in the near term, Taylor said Disney and Universal's lawsuit has a 'good chance to move past' a likely attempt to dismiss the case from Midjourney, based largely on the strength of its photo examples. And Li said this case will likely spur a wave of similar lawsuits, akin to how The New York Times' copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI in late 2023 has led to copycat lawsuits since. 'Studios are more likely to take action in the future' against AI companies using their content, Li said. Why? Because if their material is used to create AI-generated content that promotes 'harmful conduct,' they could be sued. One example: is being sued in Florida because its model encouraged a 14-year-old boy to kill himself, according to a lawsuit filed by the boy's mother. Studios will not want to see AI-generated characters that were inspired by their content, without consent, being tied to similar tragedies, Li explained. 'If I were an attorney for these studios, I'd go, 'Wait a second, now there is potential liability that we have, because one of our characters is being used by an AI company to create harmful content,'' Li said. News of this lawsuit will be welcomed by Hollywood's artists. The Writers Guild of America openly called on studios to take action this past December, citing a story in The Atlantic that revealed that a data set used by Apple, Meta, Nvidia and other top tech companies to train their AI contained the full scripts of thousands of films and television shows, showing that the spread of copyrighted material in generative AI output was farther than previously confirmed. 'It's time for the studios to come off the sidelines. After this industry has spent decades fighting piracy, it cannot stand idly by while tech companies steal full libraries of content for their own financial gain,' WGA wrote. ChatGPT and other large AI models like Claude and X's Grok were not referenced in Wednesday's lawsuit, though. Disney and Universal said they sued Midjourney because it has been so brazen in its unapproved lifting of their content. The lawsuit included a screenshot of Midjourney's website showcasing how its model created images remarkably similar to Homer Simpson as one clear example of its 'disdain' for copyright laws. As the lawsuit unfolds, the adoption of AI in the entertainment industry is still moving forward. Along with Bryn Mooser's Asteria, there are other independent studios like Toonstar, creator of the YouTube cartoon series 'StEvEn & Parker,' which uses AI throughout its production process. Toonstar uses a bespoke AI engine for each of its productions based on data sets from art created by human artists expressly for the project and with full compensation and consent. 'We've worked with a lot of creatives and storytellers, and we are interested in creating new franchises. That means these shows need to be copyrightable, and that means they can't use copyrighted material,' co-founder and CEO John Attanasio said. A big test of whether their efforts to adhere to copyright were fruitful came when Random House approached Toonstar for a series of graphic novels based on 'StEvEn & Parker,' which required the company's legal team to review the show to make sure it didn't violate any copyrights. 'There's probably no business that cares more about copyright than publishing, so to be able to clear that process shows that what we are doing is compliant,' he said. There's a long history of cases of new technology running afoul of copyright law, and the entertainment industry has turned to the courts for protection time and again. In late 1999, A&M Records sued Napster for pirating its music, which was followed by a larger suit by the industry's trade group RIAA. However the lawsuit turns out, Mooser said this is a legal battle that needed to happen sooner than later, as companies like OpenAI lobby for looser copyright restrictions in order to make it easier to train their models — and stay ahead of foreign adversaries like China. Mooser said the argument for less-strict copyright laws to enable AI growth and keep the U.S. at the forefront of the AI arms race is 'really convoluted' and ignores what should be at the foundation of any relationship between rights holders and AI companies: consent to use copyrighted material. 'I think it's the most important issue of our time in AI,' Mooser added. The post Hollywood Studios' First Lawsuit on AI Sends a Warning to Tech Giants: 'Piracy Is Piracy' appeared first on TheWrap.
Associated Press
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Celebrate Father s Day with a Kick at the Martial Arts History Museum
( NewMediaWire ) - June 11, 2025 - Glendale, CA – Father's Day is always one of the most popular days of the year at the Martial Arts History Museum—and for good reason. It's a time when kids bring their dads to celebrate, laugh, and dive into the thrilling world of martial arts culture. Now, with the museum housed in a much larger and more exciting space, there's even more to explore, experience, and enjoy. This year, we're pulling out all the stops to make it extra special. From samurai armor to ninja legends, from Bruce Lee to Kung Fu Panda, the museum offers a dynamic journey through history, film, and tradition. Whether your dad is a lifelong martial artist or just a fan of great action movies, there's something here to make him smile, reminisce, and maybe even strike a pose. And here's the best part—Dads get in FREE! That's right, it's our way of saying thank you to all the amazing fathers who inspire, protect, and lead with strength, wisdom, and heart. 'Many times kids will blindfold their dad and bring him to the museum. And boy, is he surprised that there is even a museum for the martial arts,' says museum president Michael Matsuda. 'Each and every year, we get more and more people and it's completely packed.' So if you're looking for a Father's Day activity that's unique, meaningful, and full of action, skip the crowded restaurants and surprise Dad with something different. Take him to the Martial Arts History Museum, where he'll be surrounded by iconic legends, powerful traditions, and maybe even a flying sidekick or two. This Father's Day, celebrate the warrior in your life—with honor, fun, and a roundhouse kick of history. The museum opens at 11 am and closes at 6 pm. 201 N. Brand Blvd. B100, Glendale, CA 91203 or visit
India Today
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Disney and others sue Midjourney, say it directly and indirectly copied their IP and movies
Walt Disney and NBCUniversal have jointly filed a copyright lawsuit against San Francisco-based AI company Midjourney, accusing it of illegally copying and generating images of some of their most iconic characters, according to a report by Reuters. Filed on Wednesday in a federal court in Los Angeles, the lawsuit targets Midjourney's AI-powered image generator, which creates visuals based on user prompts. The studios allege the tool has been generating and distributing countless unauthorised images of characters from major franchises like Star Wars, Frozen, Despicable Me, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and others – without their complaint was brought by seven corporate entities from both Disney and Universal, who control the rights to various film units and characters.A 'bottomless pit of plagiarism'The studios didn't hold back in their criticism of Midjourney, calling the AI tool a 'bottomless pit of plagiarism' in the lawsuit. They accuse the company of profiting from their copyrighted material without contributing to its creation or requesting any form of licence. Disney's executive vice president and chief legal officer, Horacio Gutierrez, said in a statement:'We are bullish on the promise of AI technology and optimistic about how it can be used responsibly... but piracy is piracy, and the fact that it's done by an AI company does not make it any less infringing.' NBCUniversal's general counsel Kim Harris echoed that view, saying the company is taking legal action 'to protect the hard work of all the artists whose work entertains and inspires us and the significant investment we make in our content.'advertisementThe Motion Picture Association (MPA) also issued a statement supporting the lawsuit, with its chairman Charles Rivkin noting:'Strong copyright protection is the backbone of our industry... A balanced approach to AI that both protects intellectual property and embraces responsible, human-centred innovation is critical for maintaining America's global leadership in creative industries.' Copyrighted characters allegedly used without consentAmong the AI-generated images cited in the complaint are Darth Vader, Yoda, Elsa, Iron Man, Buzz Lightyear, Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek, Po from Kung Fu Panda, and even Bart Simpson. According to the lawsuit, these images are either identical or very close to the originals, clearly derived from copyrighted founded in 2021 by David Holz, reportedly earns revenue through paid subscriptions and generated about $300 million in 2024. Despite being asked by the studios to stop using their works, the company allegedly 'rebuffed' their request and continued to update its platform to produce even more high-quality versions of these studios are now asking the court for a preliminary injunction to stop Midjourney from offering its services without appropriate safeguards, and are also seeking unspecified on copyrighted contentOne of the most serious allegations in the suit is that Midjourney used copyrighted images to train its AI model. The studios argue that this 'training' involved copying vast quantities of their material without a 2022 interview with Forbes, Midjourney CEO Holz admitted to performing 'a big scrape of the Internet' to build the company's database. When asked whether he had permission from artists or creators, Holz replied: 'There isn't really a way to get a hundred million images and know where they're coming from.'This isn't Midjourney's first brush with copyright complaints. Last year, a group of artists filed a separate suit against the company and others, claiming their artwork had been used without permission. A judge ruled that the case could proceed after finding the claims were plausible.
