Alcon Entertainment, a production company behind Blade Runner 2049, has reached a settlement with Warner Bros. Discovery to resolve copyright infringement claims. The studio had faced allegations of facilitating unauthorized use of imagery from the film in promotional materials. Neither party disclosed the terms of their agreement in court filings.
The dispute originated from a 2024 Tesla robotaxi presentation where an AI-generated image resembling a scene from Blade Runner 2049 was displayed. The image depicted a figure in a trench coat surveying a ruined cityscape, which Alcon alleged was intended to evoke Ryan Gosling’s character exploring a devastated Las Vegas in the film. Alcon objected to the association, citing concerns about the company’s founder’s political and social viewpoints and potential complications with partners involved in a planned television adaptation.
Alcon had pursued dual claims against Warner Bros. Discovery for both direct copyright infringement and contributory infringement, which involves knowingly facilitating another party’s violation. A court determined that the studio bore no responsibility for overseeing Tesla’s involvement in creating the promotional presentation, leading to dismissal of the direct infringement claim. Alcon continues pursuing its lawsuit against Tesla and Elon Musk separately.
The litigation highlights unresolved questions about whether AI-generated images created by training on copyrighted material constitute copyright violations. Tesla and Musk have maintained that their use of the Blade Runner 2049 imagery qualifies as fair use, a legal doctrine permitting certain unlicensed applications of protected works. Musk characterized the image as illustrative of autonomous vehicle benefits while critiquing the dystopian aesthetics of science fiction cinema.
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