Hailu AI is at the center of Hollywood’s latest legal battle as Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Universal filed a joint lawsuit accusing the Chinese generative AI platform of “willful and brazen” copyright infringement.
The case, brought against MiniMax—the parent company of Hailu AI—represents one of the most significant challenges yet to how AI companies train and market their technology.
The Studios’ Allegations
Filed in California, the lawsuit accuses MiniMax of building its Hailu AI app for iOS and Android on wholesale theft of protected works. According to the complaint, the app allows users to generate videos and images featuring well-known characters from franchises like Star Wars, Minions, Guardians of the Galaxy, Superman, and Batman.
The studios say the company marketed the app as a “Hollywood studio in your pocket” and even used screenshots of infringing content in its promotional materials. One example cited in the complaint shows an image of Darth Vader with a MiniMax watermark.
“The business model was purposefully built around infringing on protected works,” the studios argue. They are seeking damages, disgorgement of profits, and a court order halting the app’s alleged exploitation of their intellectual property.
Read the full complaint here: Disney v. MiniMax PDF.
