Disney Accused of Stealing Star Wars Lightsaber Fight From a 2019 Fan Film (With Side-by-Side Comparison)

Many fans consider Star Wars: Visions to be one of the greatest Star Wars TV shows ever made. This animated series lets different animation studios from across the globe create their own stories within the Star Wars universe. Because the show isn’t tied to existing storylines, the creators have a lot of freedom. Lucasfilm is very happy with the show – it’s already run for three seasons, and a spin-off series is planned for release next year.

The show Visions is facing unexpected criticism after a fan filmmaker, Lorenz Hideyoshi, claimed that a fight scene in Season 2, episode 7, closely copied choreography and camera angles from his 2019 fan film. He posted on Instagram, suggesting Disney believed it was acceptable to take creative work from fan-made projects.

The animated episode, titled “The Bandits of Golak,” was created by the Indian studio 88 Pictures and directed by Ishlan Shukla. The story, which draws inspiration from the historical Partition of India in 1947, culminates in a battle between a Jedi and an Imperial Inquisitor – a scene that Hideyoshi used for comparison in their analysis.

Hideyoshi explained in response to comments on his Instagram Story that he doesn’t own any part of the Star Wars franchise, and that’s why his fan film wasn’t making money. However, he believes the fight choreography he created doesn’t depend on Star Wars elements. He used an analogy: if he rearranged a song using different instruments, would that be copyright infringement if he didn’t have permission?

What Does This Mean For Star Wars: Visions?

Hideyoshi has expressed his dissatisfaction with Disney, but it’s likely they weren’t aware of his concerns. The way Star Wars: Visions was created through partnerships probably means Disney had no prior knowledge. Director Ishlan Shukla revealed to StarWars.com in 2023 that the climactic battle was one of his original concepts. He envisioned a visually striking scene featuring an India-inspired train and a roadside restaurant, aiming for something truly memorable. Shukla also explained that the fight choreography drew inspiration from the ancient Indian martial art of Kalaripattu, which resulted in the unique lightsaber duel.

The recent issues surrounding Star Wars: Visions are concerning and suggest Lucasfilm may need to improve how it works with outside studios. While 88 Pictures wasn’t involved in Season 3, it likely wouldn’t have aligned with the new direction, which focused solely on Japanese animation studios. As of now, there’s no news about a fourth season of Visions.

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2025-11-21 20:40