Elon Musk's fixation on referencing the film "Blade Runner 2049" during Tesla's recent robotaxi presentation has led to legal complications.
The production company Alcon Entertainment on Monday filed a four-count lawsuit, including three counts of copyright infringement and one count of making false claims or "false endorsement" against Tesla, Musk, and Warner Bros, on whose premises the presentation took place.
The 2017 sequel to "Blade Runner" portrays a dystopian future characterized by environmental catastrophe and societal collapse, featuring autonomous vehicles powered by artificial intelligence (AI). During the presentation, Musk praised the film but stated it does not reflect the future he wants.
An image displayed at the event showed a person in a long coat facing a sandstorm, set against a skyline under an orange sky. Alcon claims this image was designed to create associations with a similar scene from their film, which they had denied permission to use.
According to Alcon, Tesla asked to use the image just hours before the event. The company had already refused, but Musk's presentation still featured a similar AI-generated image.
Alcon is the rights holder of the film, while Warner Bros distributed "Blade Runner 2049."
In their lawsuit, Alcon argues they do not want to be linked to Musk or his companies, citing his "highly politicized, capricious and arbitrary behavior, which sometimes veers into hate speech."
They believe this unauthorized association is harmful to their business and are seeking an injunction and financial compensation.
Tesla has not publicly responded to the lawsuit yet.
During the presentation, Musk showcased a self-driving electric vehicle meant to transport passengers without a human driver. Tesla plans to start production in 2026, with the car expected to cost less than $30,000. Musk has been promising self-driving cars for over eight years.
