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The production company behind “Blade Runner 2049” filed a lawsuit Monday against Elon Musk and Tesla, accusing them of copyright infringement while promoting a new self-driving car.

In its lawsuit, Alcon Entertainment says Musk used AI-generated imagery mirroring scenes from its 2017 sci-fi film while presenting Tesla’s new autonomous Robotaxi at a marketing event earlier this month. Producers had denied his request to do so.

“He did it anyway,” the suit alleges, adding that the company denied Musk’s request due to the tech mogul’s “extreme political and social views” that occasionally veer into “hate speech.” Musk enthusiastically endorsed Donald Trump for president, appearing alongside him at a rally earlier this month, and has espoused transphobic views.

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[-] adam_y@lemmy.world 186 points 8 months ago

The big brain move was to ask them first, thereby proving you wanted to use their IP.

If he had just faked it anyway without asking he might have got away with it.

Genius strategist.

[-] WalnutLum@lemmy.ml 76 points 8 months ago

What's great about lawsuits like this is you really only have to prove intent and they have a record of them asking for similar imagery.

[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 69 points 8 months ago

I hate this guy so much. Hope he gets run over by one of his shitty trucks in full self/driving mode. Best part is that they turn off FSD right before impact to absolve blame. Oh, poor guy got smooshed, but FSD wasn’t to blame.

[-] Grimy@lemmy.world 23 points 8 months ago

Abandoned city background + "you are now in mexico" filter + duster = owned by Hollywood.

Elon sucks but so does this lawsuit.

[-] Cethin@lemmy.zip 33 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

If they asked if they can use imagery similar to or from BR2049 then they're clearly in the wrong, which it sounds like they did. If they just made an ad and it happened to look like it, maybe not.

[-] BossDj@lemm.ee 21 points 8 months ago

When the image appears on the screen, he says, "we didn't want the blade runner future. Well, maybe that cool duster he's wearing." So anyone there would likely assume that the image is from Blade Runner. The intent of the image was Blade Runner.

[-] ThirdWorldOrder@lemm.ee 10 points 8 months ago

I had no idea you could copywrite scenery lol. How fucking stupid and dystopian is that?

Elon is a fucking douchebag but Jesus Christ copywrite laws are just as cancerous

[-] NutWrench@lemmy.zip 10 points 8 months ago

Agreed. There's no footage used from BR2049 or even a cheap simulation of it in his promotion. And you can't trademark simply saying the words, "Blade Runner."

[-] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I really, really dislike the guy, but if he didn't actually use imagery from the film.. Does this suit actually have standing?

C'mon guys, cripes. What are we doing here, feeding lawyers for the sake of feeding lawyers??

[-] DeanFogg@lemm.ee 1 points 8 months ago

I mean there was that one Robin Thicke lawsuit where it sounded nothing like a Marvin gaye song

[-] uriel238 15 points 8 months ago

Once again the ownership class pirates freely while disparaging the common folk for violating copyright.

It's almost if it's not a real law, rather something by which to disparage the proletariat.

[-] just_another_person@lemmy.world 8 points 8 months ago

Lolol fucking awesome

[-] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 7 points 8 months ago

They're suing him for using vaguely cyberpunk ai generated images?

As much as it seems like Musk is trying to make a real life cyberpunk dystopia, this seems a little silly.

[-] originalfrozenbanana@lemm.ee 92 points 8 months ago

They’re suing him for copying scenes shot for shot from their movie after they told him explicitly not to

[-] NutWrench@lemmy.zip 5 points 8 months ago

I just watched his presentation here. He did no such thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVzzNof3wqU

Do you have a video that shows this?

[-] Entertainmeonly 15 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

He literally references the movie saying the title as a clearly "Blader Runner" image is on screen. Are you meaning to be obtuse or are you just really that dim?

[-] NutWrench@lemmy.zip 5 points 8 months ago

The subject is copyright infringement. Do try to keep up.

[-] Entertainmeonly 9 points 8 months ago

Which is exactly what he did.

I'll assume it's the latter at this point.

[-] NutWrench@lemmy.zip 3 points 8 months ago

There is nothing in Musks presentation that infringes copyright. You're an idiot.

[-] originalfrozenbanana@lemm.ee 9 points 8 months ago

This was productive and I’m sure you convinced a whole lot of people

[-] argh_another_username@lemmy.ca 40 points 8 months ago

If Tesla (or the marketing company) asked for permission, then it was more than “vaguely”.

[-] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 8 points 8 months ago

My interpretation is they wanted to use it, got denied, so used a more generic setting instead.

[-] exu@feditown.com 7 points 8 months ago

*tried to

It was still close enough that the production company feels they can win with their claim.

[-] DrBob@lemmy.ca 7 points 8 months ago

Desert wasn't really a cyberpunk setting until BR 2049. Post-apocolyptic sure, MadMax had that stitched up in 1979, but not cyberpunk.

this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2024
419 points (100.0% liked)

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