Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a lawsuit against AI image generator Midjourney in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, accusing the company of copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges that Midjourney unlawfully used iconic characters such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Bugs Bunny, and Scooby-Doo to train its AI system and has enabled users to generate and download high-quality unauthorized images of these characters in virtually any imaginable scenario
The complaint also highlights that Midjourney once blocked subscribers from creating such infringing images, only to lift that protection last month—marketing the move as an “improvement” Reuters. Warner Bros. claims this reflects a calculated, profit-driven choice to disregard the rights of copyright holders.
The suit seeks monetary damages, disgorgement of profits, and an injunction to halt further infringement. It follows similar legal actions by Disney and Universal earlier this year. Midjourney, which reportedly had nearly 21 million users and generated approximately $300 million in revenue in 2024, has not responded publicly
Why This Lawsuit Matters
- Bold legal precedent: This lawsuit exemplifies the intensifying legal pushback against AI companies using copyrighted materials without permission, following cases by Disney and Universal earlier in 2025
- Financial risk: Warner Bros. may seek up to $150,000 per infringed work, which could result in crippling costs for Midjourney if the court rules in favor of Warner
- Ethical and creative implications: By claiming that the AI platform acts like a “virtual vending machine” for copyrighted characters, the lawsuit raises critical ethical questions about licensing, creative ownership, and how AI firms should responsibly train and use generative models
