Midjourney Debuts Much Anticipated V1 AI Video Generator

AI image-generation startup Midjourney has launched its first video generation model, V1, expanding its creative toolset beyond still imagery.

Announced Wednesday, V1 enables users to upload an image—either user-supplied or generated through Midjourney’s existing tools—and transform it into four five-second animated clips.

"Today’s Video workflow will be called “Image-to-Video”. This means that you still make images in Midjourney, as normal, but now you can press “Animate” to make them move," the company said in a blog post.

As with previous Midjourney models, V1 is exclusively accessible via Discord and is currently web-only.

V1 videos, while currently limited to five seconds, can be extended to 21 seconds. Users can choose between automated or text-prompted animations, with motion controls for subject and camera.

Midjourney acknowledged that the production costs and pricing for its new video generation models are difficult to predict.

The company said it is committed to providing access immediately, but plans to closely monitor user activity over the next month.

Depending on demand—and the potential strain on server capacity—Midjourney indicated it may revise pricing and access to ensure the business remains sustainable.

For now, users on the $10/month Basic plan will see limited access, while those on $60 or $120 tiers will enjoy unlimited generations in “Relax” mode.

The move positions Midjourney alongside competitors like OpenAI’s Sora, Runway’s Gen-4, Google’s Veo, and Adobe’s Firefly, all of which are developing AI video tools aimed at filmmakers and advertisers.

But Midjourney CEO David Holz says the company has broader ambitions: building toward real-time open-world simulations. Future plans also include 3D rendering tools and real-time AI generation.

Despite its creative lean, Midjourney is under legal pressure. Earlier this month, the Walt Disney Company and NBCUniversal have filed a landmark lawsuit against AI image-generator Midjourney, accusing the company of rampant copyright infringement.

Filed in a California federal court, the suit claims Midjourney unlawfully replicates iconic characters like Darth Vader, Shrek, Spider-Man, Yoda, and others, describing the platform as a “virtual vending machine” churning out unauthorised copies of their intellectual property.