Disney Accused of Stealing Star Wars Fight Choreography

by

I’m really disappointed to hear that a lightsaber fight in one of the Star Wars: Visions shorts seems to have been taken from a fan film! Lorenz Hideyoshi, a stunt performer and filmmaker, says the choreography in the Disney+ series is strikingly similar to the one he created for his 2019 film, Dark Jedi, and it’s upsetting to think his work might not have been properly credited or respected.

The issue involves Season 2, Episode 7, titled “The Bandits of Golak,” which was created by the Indian animation studio 88 Pictures and directed by Ishan Shukla.

Hideyoshi shared a video on Instagram demonstrating strikingly similar movements and camera angles to a sequence in a recent episode. Viewers have widely circulated the clip on platforms like X, Reddit, and YouTube, with many claiming it’s a clear case of the episode’s creators directly copying his work.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lorenz Hideyoshi (@lorenzhideyoshi)

What Lorenz Hideyoshi Posted

Hideyoshi posted a video comparison along with a detailed message criticizing Disney and those involved in making it. He wrote in the description:

The footage shown above is from my 2019 Star Wars fan film, ‘Dark Jedi,’ and the footage below is from the 2023 ‘Star Wars Visions’ Season 2, Episode 7. It’s frustrating to see that even though they had different weapons, the action sequence in ‘Visions’ seems to directly copy the choreography from my film, even using the same camera angles. I’m questioning Disney’s decision, especially since ‘Dark Jedi’ was a non-profit fan tribute. Perhaps Disney should either compensate their animators better or hire dedicated action designers.

The video comparison clearly shows identical strikes, movements, timing, and camera angles, leading fans to quickly identify it as the same dance routine.

What’s at Stake

Fan films exist in a tricky legal space, as they often feature characters owned by others. However, the original dance routines and camera work within those films are still protected as creative expressions.

Hideyoshi questions Disney’s practice of using fan-created ideas without giving credit or payment, arguing it shows a larger pattern of how big studios undervalue their fan base.

This situation prompts Lucasfilm to examine how it supervises the animation studios it hires and how those studios create action scenes. For fans, it reinforces existing worries about Disney’s handling of the Star Wars franchise.

Read More

2025-11-22 23:31