Generative AI is stirring controversy in Hollywood, particularly with Midjourney facing a lawsuit from prominent studios that began last year. With the spotlight already on it, Midjourney's legal team is pushing for these entertainment giants to disclose the extent of their own usage of this contentious technology.
Recently, a lawyer representing Midjourney filed a motion claiming that Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. should provide evidence of their utilization of generative AI. This legal maneuver follows a June ruling that curtailed Midjourney's ability to investigate how these studios employ AI in their operations. The motion seeks a comprehensive overview from each studio, including details about training datasets, business strategies, and presentations from board meetings discussing generative AI.
Midjourney attorney Bobby Ghajar emphasized, “If Plaintiffs are engaging in the same practices they seek to penalize, such evidence is crucial to Midjourney’s defenses regarding fair use and claims of unclean hands.” Prior to this motion, Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. had only agreed to share information related to consumer-facing aspects, excluding any insights on their internal AI tools. Ghajar further suggested that if these studios possess such technology, it would highlight a common industry practice of using unlicensed copyrighted content for AI training.
On the other hand, David Singer, representing the studios, dismissed Ghajar’s claims and stressed that the primary aim is for Midjourney to cease reproducing their films and television series, alongside creating derivative works featuring their iconic characters without permission. Singer pointed out that this is a stance that any copyright holder would take against any infringer, regardless of whether the infringement comes from an AI.
Among the three studios, Disney has been the most open about its ambitions regarding generative AI. In late 2025, it revealed a $1 billion investment in OpenAI aimed at transporting “hundreds” of Disney characters to the Sora platform. However, those plans were abruptly halted earlier this year following the shutdown of SoraAI. Despite this setback, Disney has committed to continuing its engagement with AI platforms and adopting new technologies that uphold intellectual property rights and the prerogatives of creators. The specifics of that engagement will likely be influenced by the outcome of the ongoing lawsuit and any insights Midjourney might glean from the studios involved.
