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A K-Pop Teaser Allegedly AI-Cloned Their Gobelins Student Film: ‘Niccolò’ Co-Director Speaks Out
Co-director David Florian says he expected ‘a little email back’ from Gobelins, not a public stance and legal threat defending the film’s six alumni.
Law
Alleged ‘Avatar’ Leaker Arrested, Faces A Potential Seven-Year Sentence
Singapore’s ‘The Straits Times’ reports a suspect accessed a studio server and spread the film online. He could face 7 years and/or a $50,000 fine.
‘Simpsons Movie 2,’ ‘Phineas and Ferb’ Project Among First Animated Features To Land California Tax Credits
After ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Rick and Morty’ spinoffs broke the TV animation barrier, a trio of studio features will now similarly benefit.
California Adds TV Animation To Tax Credit Program For The First Time
‘Rick and Morty’ spinoff ‘President Curtis’ and ‘Family Guy’ spinoff ‘Stewie’ are the first animated series to qualify for California’s expanded tax credits.
Producer Behind Netflix’s ‘Pinocchio’ Sues The Jim Henson Company Over Profits, Credit
The former executive claims a prior settlement guaranteed backend compensation and meaningful credit on several high-profile projects that never came.
Public Domain Day 2026: Betty Boop, Pluto (As Rover), And Flip The Frog Hit The Commons On January 1
Works released in 1930 hit the U.S. public domain on January 1, including early animation icons, forgotten favorites, and the art form’s formative experiments.
Disney Accuses Google Of ‘Massive’ AI Copyright Theft
Disney sends Google a cease-and-desist even as it inks a major licensing deal with OpenAI, drawing definitive lines in Hollywood’s battle over training data.
OpenAI Retreats From Unpopular Sora Opt-Out Policy
OpenAI says it will give creators more control over how their characters appear in Sora and plans revenue sharing after backlash to its IP opt-out model.
140 Teachers Unpaid After Online Art School CGMA Abruptly Shuts Down Operations
CGMA has paused classes and payments after a legal dispute surfaced. Instructors say months of work remain unpaid as the school’s future stays unclear.
Every Artist Should Know: OpenAI Has Adopted An Opt-Out Policy For Sora
OpenAI has revealed it will freely incorporate copyrighted material into its Sora model unless rights holders formally opt out.
Florida Law Firm Drags Disney To Court Over ‘Steamboat Willie’ Use
Morgan & Morgan has sued Disney, seeking court approval to use ‘Steamboat Willie’ in its ads. The case tests public domain freedom vs. trademark power.
GenAI’s Rough Summer: Hollywood Studios And Authors Push Back Against Predatory Training And Output Models
Last week, Warner Bros. sued Midjourney – like Disney and Universal did before – and Anthropic agreed to pay $1.5B for scraping protected literature.
Disney Agrees To $10 Million FTC Settlement For Collecting Children’s Data Through YouTube Posts
Disney will pay $10M to settle FTC claims it misclassified YouTube videos for kids, suggesting stricter rules for online content providers.
Disney, Universal ‘Cannot Have It Both Ways’: Midjourney Slams Studios For Suing While Using GenAI
Midjourney responds to Disney and Universal’s lawsuit, arguing fair use and accusing studios of using GenAI while trying to restrict it for others.
‘Potentially Transformative’: Indie Studios Are Cautiously Optimistic About California’s New 35% Tax Incentive
Leaders at Tonko House, KuKu Studios, Titmouse, and Reel FX chime in on the potential impact of California’s expanded incentives.
California’s Expanded Tax Credit Now Covers Animation
Senate Bill 630 extends a 35% tax credit to animated features, series, or shorts that are produced in California, with a minimum production budget of $1 million.
Disney, Universal Sue AI Generator Midjourney, Calling It “A Bottomless Pit Of Plagiarism’
Midjourney founder David Holz has previously admitted that his product is “a big scrape of the internet” and that he has stolen hundreds of millions of images without permission from rightsholders.
A New California Bill Is Proposing A 35% Subsidy For Animated Features, Series, And Shorts
The passage of the bill could encourage more animation production in the state.
Popeye, Bosko, Tintin, And Horace Horsecollar Are Now In The Public Domain
A bounty of classic cartoon and comic characters have entered the public domain this year.
Artist Seeks $10 Billion From Disney In ‘Moana’ Copyright Lawsuit
Buck Woodall claims that ‘Moana’ is based on his idea ‘Bucky.’