In a legal victory for both parties, the copyright dispute regarding Blade Runner 2049 has seen Tesla and Warner Bros. achieving a partial resolution.
In October 2024, Alcon Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Tesla Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, accusing the companies of copyright infringement and "false affiliation." The lawsuit centres around an AI-generated image shown during Tesla's 'We, Robot' event that closely resembled a key moment from Blade Runner 2049[1].
During the event, Elon Musk explicitly referenced the film "Blade Runner" to the audience, stating, "I love Blade Runner, but I don't know if we want that future." Despite Alcon's denial, Tesla and Warner Bros. proceeded with the use of AI-generated art that evoked the film's iconic post-apocalyptic Las Vegas aesthetic[2].
Alcon alleges that Tesla deliberately mimicked a key moment from Blade Runner 2049 in the AI-generated image. The dismissed claims included alleged trademark violations. In a preliminary ruling on Monday, U.S. District Judge George Wu dismissed several of Alcon's claims in the lawsuit against Tesla and Warner Bros[3].
As of August 2025, while some claims related to the broader Blade Runner lawsuit reportedly have been cleared as noted in Tesla-related legal reports, detailed updates specifically about Alcon’s lawsuit against Tesla regarding the imagery are limited[4]. The judge allowed the core copyright infringement case to proceed, and his ruling sends the remaining copyright issue into mediation.
Alcon expressed hope that Tesla and Warner Bros. would take the judge's suggestion to settle the dispute seriously. The current status of the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Alcon Entertainment against Tesla involves an ongoing legal dispute following Alcon's suit filed in October 2024.
In summary: - The lawsuit against Tesla was filed in October 2024. - It claims Tesla improperly used AI-generated images resembling Blade Runner 2049 scenes without licensing. - The case is still active in federal court in California as of August 2025. - Some broader Blade Runner-related claims concerning Tesla have seen partial resolution, but this specific copyright lawsuit remains pending[2][3][4]. - Tesla and Alcon operate in distinctly different industries: automobiles and entertainment, respectively. - The case continues to proceed for the core copyright infringement claim. - Alcon Entertainment filed the lawsuit over the use of imagery resembling scenes from Blade Runner 2049 during Tesla's 'We, Robot' event. - The judge dismissed most of Alcon's claims against Warner Bros. - The judge's ruling sends the remaining copyright issue into mediation. - Alcon expressed hope that Tesla and Warner Bros. would take the judge's suggestion to settle the dispute seriously.
Technology played a significant role in the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Alcon Entertainment against Tesla and Warner Bros. Entertainment, as the case centres around an AI-generated image that closely resembled a key moment from the movie Blade Runner 2049. Artificial-intelligence was used to create the image shown during Tesla's 'We, Robot' event, evoking the film's iconic post-apocalyptic aesthetic and raising questions about the use of AI in movies and TV entertainment.
