Home Elon Musk and Tesla sued over Blade Runner 2049 copyright

Elon Musk and Tesla sued over Blade Runner 2049 copyright

Elon Musk could be back in the courtroom again – this time for infringing on Blade Runner 2049’s copyright.

Alcon Entertainment, the producers behind the 2017 science fiction film, have launched a lawsuit in Los Angeles against Musk and his company Tesla. It claims Musk illegally used images from the movie at the launch of his new robotaxi earlier this month.

Why is Elon Musk being sued?

The 40-page court document outlines how Tesla, Musk, and Warner Bros (the launch event took place on its lot) broke Alcon’s copyright. The company claims that it was asked permission to use a still from the film at the event.

“Alcon refused all permissions and adamantly objected to Defendants suggesting any affiliation between BR2049 and Tesla, Musk, or any Musk-owned company,” it states.

However, it claims that the image and others from the movie were fed to an AI image generator. The generated picture was then shown for 11 seconds at the start of the event – or what it calls “a marketing and advertising eternity”.

Musk apparently went on to discuss the robotaxi in relation to the futuristic world of Blade Runner 2049. The launch was also livestreamed on X and clips have been shared thousands of times, meaning it has reached potentially millions of people.

Alcon not pleased with Musk association

The production company is not happy to be linked with Musk. The document highlights his “massively amplified, highly politicized, capricious and arbitrary behavior, which sometimes veers into hate speech”.

It added: “Beyond Alcon’s lost fees for the unauthorized association, Defendants muddied the waters for Alcon’s in-progress exploration of automotive brand partnerships for the upcoming BR2049-based Blade Runner 2099 television series.”

This is the second time Musk has managed to anger the film industry this month. Alex Proyas, the creator of I, Robot, posted a comparison of his movie and Tesla designs on X. “Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please?” he wrote.

Feature image credit: YouTube

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Freya Deyell
Tech Journalist

Freya Deyell is a freelance journalist based in the UK and a film, media and journalism graduate from the University Of Stirling. Previously she worked in local news at Shetland News. She has covered everything from politics and business to technology and sport. Her writing has also been published in the Scottish Beacon and Somewhere for Us magazine. You can find her work on Muck Rack and follow her on X. In her spare time, she can usually be found baking gluten free treats or playing co-op games with her partner.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.