Hollywood’s AI battle just took another dramatic turn. While Disney, Warner Bros., and Universal continue accusing Midjourney of enabling widespread copyright infringement, the AI image company is now turning the spotlight back on the studios themselves. Instead of focusing solely on its own practices, Midjourney wants the entertainment giants to reveal how deeply artificial intelligence has already made its way behind the scenes of Hollywood.

With AI taking center stage in Hollywood’s biggest legal showdown, here’s what the industry’s giants had to say.

Midjourney has asked U.S. District Judge John Kronstadt to overturn an earlier ruling and force Disney, Warner Bros., and Universal to reveal far more about their behind-the-scenes AI practices. Defending the move, attorney Bobby Ghajar argued that if the studios are “doing the very thing they seek to punish,” the evidence goes “to the heart” of Midjourney’s fair use defense. The company is now seeking access to internal AI business plans, training datasets, research reports, model weights, and even board presentations.

“If Plaintiffs are doing the very thing they seek to punish, that evidence goes to the heart of Midjourney’s fair use and unclean hands defenses,” Ghajar wrote.

The studios, however, have drawn a firm line, agreeing to disclose only consumer-facing AI tools while keeping their internal systems off limits. Lead attorney David Singer previously dismissed Midjourney’s request as a “fishing expedition,” and Magistrate Judge Joel Richlin sided with the studios on June 15, ruling that their internal AI use wasn’t relevant to the copyright dispute. Midjourney is now pushing to dig even deeper.

Ironically, while Hollywood and Midjourney battle over AI behind courtroom doors, the studios still have an enormous 2026 slate waiting to capture audiences on the big screen.

Despite the ongoing legal battle, Disney isn’t slowing down its theatrical ambitions. The studio’s second-half lineup kicks off with the live-action Moana on July 10, followed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, Freakier Friday on August 8, The Dog Stars on August 28, and animated fantasy Hexed on November 25. The year ultimately builds toward Avengers: Doomsday, which storms into theaters on December 18, setting up one of the biggest box-office clashes in recent memory.

Warner Bros., meanwhile, is betting big on horror, sci-fi, and long-awaited sequels. The studio rolls out Evil Dead Burn on July 10, followed by Weapons on August 8, The End of Oak Street on August 14, Coyote vs. Acme on August 28, Practical Magic 2 on September 11, The Cat in the Hat on November 6, and The Great Beyond on November 13. The year concludes with Dune: Part Three on December 18, setting the stage for a blockbuster showdown against Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday as two of Hollywood’s biggest franchises go head-to-head on the same weekend.

However, while Disney and Warner Bros. prepare for a blockbuster 2026 at the box office, the final chapter of their legal battle with Midjourney may become another headline-grabbing entry on the year’s slate.

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Do you think Hollywood studios should disclose their internal AI practices during the lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.