Alcon Entertainment sues Tesla and Warner Bros. Discovery over alleged misuse of ‘Blade Runner 2049’ imagery

Alcon Entertainment Sues Tesla and Warner Bros. Discovery Over Alleged Misuse of ‘Blade Runner 2049’ Imagery

LOS ANGELES – In a high-profile legal clash in the entertainment and tech industries, Alcon Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based production company, has filed a lawsuit against Tesla, Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), alleging unauthorised use of imagery from the acclaimed 2017 film, “Blade Runner 2049.” The lawsuit was lodged in a federal court in California on October 21, 2023.

The contention centres around Tesla’s promotional activities during their recent ‘We, Robot’ event, held on October 10th, where Alcon claims Tesla used AI-generated images that closely resembled scenes from the film. According to the lawsuit, one of these images depicted a visual likeness to the film’s character K, portrayed by actor Ryan Gosling.

Alcon alleges this usage occurred despite explicit refusals of permission from their end, accusing Tesla of a calculated attempt to enhance the event’s appeal and leverage the “Blade Runner 2049” brand to boost Tesla’s product sales, particularly their robotaxi service. Alcon describes the move as a “bad-faith and intentionally malicious gambit” aimed at capitalising on the film’s established brand reputation.

The legal complaint extends beyond Tesla, holding Warner Bros. Discovery accountable for purportedly facilitating this contested partnership. Alcon’s grievances include concerns about being linked to Tesla, particularly due to the “problematic” public persona of Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk. The lawsuit highlights that Musk’s “extreme political and social views,” combined with behaviours described as “highly politicized” and “capricious,” pose a risk to potential collaboration opportunities, particularly for the development of their upcoming sequel series, “Blade Runner 2099.” This series, currently in production for Amazon’s Prime Video, features notable actors Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer.

Alcon’s legal effort seeks an injunction to prevent any further usage, replication, or distribution of “Blade Runner 2049” associated imagery by Tesla, Musk, WBD, or related entities. Additionally, Alcon is pursuing monetary compensation, the specifics of which remain undisclosed.

This lawsuit surfaces amid broader trends, as Alcon is not the first company to express disassociation from Musk. In recent instances, major advertisers like Disney and Apple have retracted their marketing presence from Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), citing concerns over increasing hate speech, attributed to changes in platform policies under Musk’s leadership. This has elicited strong reactions from Musk, who infamously challenged these brands amidst his legal pursuits against them for an “illegal” boycott of X.

As both the Alcon lawsuit and Musk’s legal disputes unfold, the outcomes may significantly impact the involved industries. Neither Tesla nor Warner Bros. Discovery has yet issued a public response regarding the allegations set forth by Alcon Entertainment.

Source: Noah Wire Services