Look, if you’ve been anywhere near the creative tech space lately, you’ve probably heard whispers about Midjourney making moves beyond still images. Well, it’s official, Midjourney has launched its first-ever AI video generator, and even though it’s early days, this tool is already showing what’s possible.
Let’s be real, this isn’t some huge blockbuster movie tool just yet. But what it is, is a big leap for creators who’ve been using Midjourney for images and wondering, “What if this could move?”
Create Short AI Videos from Images
The first version of Midjourney’s video tool lets users turn still images into short animated clips. You can either:
- Generate an image using Midjourney as usual
- Or upload your own image
From there, a new “animate” button appears, tap it, and boom, the system starts building a video from your selected image. By default, it creates a 5-second clip using a basic prompt that simply adds movement. But here’s the kicker — you can also manually describe how you want things to move, giving you more creative control.
And if 5 seconds isn’t enough? You can extend your video by 4 seconds at a time, up to 21 seconds total. That gives room for some pretty cool storytelling, even in bite-sized formats.
You Control the Motion Style
Here’s where it gets even more fun. There are two motion styles to choose from:
- Low motion: Just the subject moves
- High motion: Both the subject and the camera move around
This might sound small, but it completely changes how your final video looks. Want something chill and subtle? Go low motion. Want drama? High motion’s your move.
Where You Can Use It (And What It Costs)
Right now, Midjourney’s video generator works only on:
- Midjourney’s official website
- Midjourney’s Discord server
But here’s something to keep in mind that this tool isn’t free. You need a Midjourney subscription, which starts at $10/month. This provides about 3.3 hours of high-speed GPU access, enough for approximately 200 image creations
Now, video is a bit pricier. According to Midjourney, a single second of video costs as much as generating one image. So a 5-second video is about 5 image generations’ worth of credits. That’s roughly 8x more resource-heavy than images, so plan accordingly.
Yes, There’s a Lawsuit In the Mix
Thing is, not everyone’s thrilled about Midjourney’s next chapter. Big media players like Disney and Universal have filed a lawsuit, pointing fingers at how Midjourney trains its models and whether it uses copyrighted content to do so.
They’ve specifically raised concerns about the video generator, calling it a “virtual vending machine” that could churn out unauthorized versions of their content. It’s a legal situation still unfolding — but for now, it hasn’t slowed down the rollout of this new tool.
Midjourney Joins the AI Video Race
Midjourney is far from alone here. OpenAI, Google, and Meta have all launched their own AI video models in 2025, allowing users to create short video clips just by typing a prompt. Midjourney’s spin is different, though it’s more image-to-video focused right now, while others lean into full text-to-video generation.
But don’t think this is the final form. Founder David Holz called this just a “stepping stone”, with the end goal being much bigger, think real-time open-world simulations built by AI. Yep, you read that right. That’s where this is heading.
Midjourney vs Sora vs Veo vs Emu Video: What’s the Difference, Really?
Name | What It Does | Good For | Keep in Mind |
---|---|---|---|
Midjourney | Let you turn an image into a short video (up to 21 seconds) | Quick, creative videos from your own pictures | Doesn’t do full video from text, works best with images |
OpenAI Sora | Makes full videos from just text prompts | Very detailed scenes and story ideas | Still not open to everyone, needs lots of power to run |
Google Veo | Creates smooth, camera-style video using just words | Looks like real camera footage, good motion control | Not public yet, meant for more serious creative work |
Meta Emu Video | Fast video from a short text or photo | Great for quick clips for social media | Not as polished, best for short and simple content |
Quick Look: Midjourney AI Video Generator
Feature | Details |
---|---|
Platform | Web + Discord only |
Base Requirement | Midjourney image or user-uploaded image |
Video Length | Starts at 5 seconds, extendable to 21 sec |
Control Options | Manual prompts, high/low motion |
Cost | $10/mo, video = 1 image/sec cost |
Availability | Live now for subscribers |
Final Thoughts
So, what’s the big takeaway? Midjourney’s AI video tool isn’t meant to replace filmmakers. But it’s a clever, fast way to animate images and experiment with motion, whether you’re a designer, storyteller, or just someone who loves playing with new creative tools.
And here’s the thing: in the growing race to define AI video, Midjourney’s focus on turning static into motion might just give it a unique edge, especially for everyday creators looking to bring ideas to life with minimal effort.
Also Read | ChatGPT’s Wild New Art Tool: 5 Cool Ways to Create AI Images Like a Pro