The ongoing Disney and Universal lawsuit against AI company Midjourney has given us something truly bizarre: the official legal description of Shrek. Yes, you read that right-court documents posted to BlueSky revealed the official definition of the beloved ogre, and it’s as specific as it is amusing. The legal text states: ‘Shrek’s namesake character is a large, bald, dull-green ogre with a broad, round face, brown eyes, and highly distinctive trumpet-shaped ears.
Shrek typically wears crude clothing consisting of a canvas-like shirt, a leather vest, and brown leggings.’
As strange as it is to see Shrek defined in such legal terms, this tidbit is just one of the intriguing details emerging from the ongoing lawsuit. In the wake of a copyright infringement claim, Disney and Universal have teamed up to sue Midjourney, accusing the AI image generator of “bottomless plagiarism.” Shrek is just one of the examples cited, with others including iconic characters from Marvel, Star Wars, and Despicable Me, as well as the famous Minions.
According to BlueSky users who reviewed the lawsuit documents, there are over 30 instances where Midjourney’s outputs have been compared to official studio artwork, showing clear signs of copying. The lawsuit, which has reportedly been in the works since November 2024, follows a demand letter sent to Midjourney by Disney in an attempt to resolve the matter outside of court. Allegedly, Midjourney did not respond, continuing to create models that infringe on copyrights. This prompted Universal to send another demand letter in late May, leading to the final decision to pursue a lawsuit.
The case highlights the ongoing tension between generative AI and the entertainment industry, a topic that has been hotly debated in recent months. The rise of generative AI has led to major concerns about intellectual property rights and the ethical implications of AI-created content. This debate gained further momentum earlier this year when social media was flooded with AI-generated images inspired by Studio Ghibli, sparking a wave of anti-AI sentiment from creators like Hayao Miyazaki.