The Disney vs. Midjourney Lawsuit: What's Next for AI Art?

Jul 28

3 min read

midjourney blog post image — A Midjourney generated image using Midjourney Automation Suite

Imagine being able to make a picture of Darth Vader or Elsa with a simple text command. Sounds great, right? But these characters are protected by copyright. Even though many people know this, Midjourney created images of these characters. This choice has led them into one of the biggest lawsuits the AI world has seen.

This case is not just about Midjourney. Whether you use AI tools or not, this lawsuit will change how we make characters, how we build videos, art, and even businesses in the future. Let's look at what happened and what it means for everyday people who use AI.

A Closer Look at the Lawsuit

On June 11th, Disney filed a 110-page lawsuit. This lawsuit includes Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar, Fox, Universal, and DreamWorks. Almost all of Hollywood came together against Midjourney.

Disney's Claims

Disney says that Midjourney's AI acts like a machine that creates endless, good quality copies of their popular characters and scenes without permission. Based on what is in the lawsuit, Disney has examples to show this.

One example shows Yoda next to a Midjourney image. They look very much alike.
Another shows Star Wars characters R2-D2 and C3PO, which are almost exact copies.
Other examples include Deadpool, Buzz Lightyear, and the Minions. The list goes on. All of these are full copies made with only a short text command.

This is not like making a picture of yourself dressed as a Simpsons character. This is Midjourney giving you the actual Simpsons. Disney, Universal, and other studios spent billions of dollars over many years to build these characters. They say that Midjourney trained its AI model using unauthorized copies of their movies, shows, and and characters. Now, people can download copyrighted content quickly.

Marketing and Ignoring Warnings

Disney also says that Midjourney uses these images to get more attention for its AI design tool. They do this by putting these images on their public "explore" page. This high-traffic page might make it look like Disney approved these images, which they did not. To streamline your creative process and manage your AI generations effectively, consider exploring tools that can help. The Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT helps automate and improve your Midjourney experience.

Before taking legal action, Disney says they reached out to Midjourney. But, Disney claims that Midjourney ignored their requests to stop using the content.

Why This Matters Now: Video Generation

Disney knows that Midjourney plans to launch a video generation tool. This is a big reason why they are acting quickly now. Think about it: an AI tool that can make animated video scenes using copyrighted characters. That is not just a copyright problem; it could harm movie studios greatly.

What Disney Wants

Disney wants Midjourney to stop using their copyrighted content. They also want money for damages. If Disney wins, this could mean a large payment from Midjourney. To give you an idea, Midjourney made about 300 million dollars in 2024, and Disney wants some of that money. Years ago, a skateboarder had to pay $35,000 for jumping off a Louis Vuitton sign. Disney's argument is clear: you cannot make money from our work, and we want our share. Managing your AI outputs and ensuring compliance can be tricky. A solution like the Midjourney Automation Suite can help organize your work and make your workflow smoother.

Impact on AI Tools and Creators

This lawsuit could affect every major AI tool that used copyrighted material for training. If Disney wins, AI companies may need to retrain their models. Commands like "Darth Vader" or "Mickey Mouse" would likely be blocked. AI tools might start adding watermarks, filtering results, or even stopping certain outputs altogether. This lawsuit might change what counts as fair use in AI-made content.

Some people might think, "Who cares? I'm just making fan art!" But that might not be allowed anymore.

Different Views

There are different opinions about this case. On one side, there is Disney. On the other side, there are creators and artists. If Disney wins, it sets a standard. AI cannot simply copy or make money from protected content without permission. This could change everything from making images to music, voices, and especially AI-made video.

For artists, this could be a big win. It strengthens the idea that your work cannot be taken and reused without your permission. Companies and creators have always protected their content for a long time. This is one of the biggest copyright lawsuits AI has faced. No matter which side you support, this case will help shape the future of AI.

No matter how the legal landscape changes, having efficient tools is key. Check out the Midjourney Automation Suite if you want to speed up your AI content creation.