The decision to pause the tool comes after ByteDance was hit with cease-and-desist letters by media giants like Disney and Paramount Skydance, who alleged the tool had allowed their copyrighted IP to be infringed upon.
If you saw the intriguingly realistic viral AI video of a fight scene between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt making the rounds on the internet last month and wanted to try the tool out for yourself, you may be waiting a while longer. TikTok parent company ByteDance has paused the launch of its new video-generation model, Seedance 2.0. which would compete with generative AI tools like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo.
The decision to put the launch on ice was due to ongoing copyright disputes with Hollywood studios and streaming platforms, according to The Information. The Chinese firm had reportedly planned a mid-March launch for the video-generation model, but the company has since suspended those plans. ByteDance’s legal team will now work on resolving and identifying legal issues surrounding the launch, while its engineering team will reportedly work on adding safeguards to stop the model from generating content that could provoke copyright disputes.
Seedance started its limited beta in February, initially only available to users of ByteDance’s Chinese apps, attracting significant attention from Hollywood after numerous videos it produced went viral. Deadpool screenwriter Rhett Reese reposted the Cruise and Pitt fight video, saying, “I hate to say it. It’s likely over for us.” Videos like Will Smith fighting a spaghetti monster and clips of the cast of Friends reimagined as otters also performed well on social media.
We know that some of the biggest names in the media industry have already threatened legal challenges against Seedance. Last month, Disney hit ByteDance with a cease-and-desist letter after it allegedly used copyrighted characters from franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel like public-domain clip art. Meanwhile, media giant Paramount Skydance has also reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to the TikTok parent, claiming the Chinese firm supports “blatant infringement” of its intellectual property such as Star Trek, South Park, and Dora the Explorer, according to a report by Variety.
It’s not just Seedance. The new batch of emerging video-generation tools, like the wider AI industry, is being forced to deal with issues around how they handle existing intellectual property. OpenAI’s Sora introduced greater privileges and granular control to rightsholders in 2025. following a glut of content based on existing IP—from Pikachu to Oppenheimer.
