Alcon Entertainment, the company behind “Blade Runner 2049,” has filed a lawsuit against Tesla, Elon Musk and Warner Bros. Discovery, accusing the group of copyright infringement. This new lawsuit claims that Tesla used AI-generated images resembling scenes from the film to promote its new autonomous vehicle, the “Cybercab” — a fully autonomous robotaxi the company plans to launch by 2027.
Filed in California federal court, the lawsuit alleges that Tesla went ahead with the use of these visuals at an Oct. 10 event, despite Alcon’s refusal to grant permission. One of the images in question reportedly features an AI-created scene with a Ryan Gosling look-alike in a futuristic setting, reminiscent of “Blade Runner 2049.”
Alcon contends that the unauthorized use of these images was intended to enhance Tesla’s global appeal by falsely associating the Cybercab with the “Blade Runner” franchise.
The lawsuit further claims that this misuse could negatively impact Alcon’s negotiations for partnerships tied to the upcoming “Blade Runner 2099” television series, which is currently in development for Amazon Prime.
Additionally, Alcon raised concerns about being associated with Elon Musk due to his controversial public behavior, which they describe as “highly politicized and arbitrary.”
Musk expressed admiration for the “Blade Runner” franchise during the event but acknowledged, “I don’t know if we want that future.”
Alcon has described the use of these images as “massive economic theft,” emphasizing the potential financial harm from associating “Blade Runner 2049” with Tesla’s Cybercab promotion. While the lawsuit has not specified damages, Alcon highlighted the significant financial impact they believe this association has caused.
Tesla, Musk, and Warner Bros. Discovery have not yet responded to the lawsuit.
