South Korean Concept Artist Accuses Kalki 2898 AD Makers Of Plagiarism: "Unauthorised Use Of The Artwork"

The film stars Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan and Disha Patani

The trailer of director Nag Ashwin's dystopian sci-fi action film Kalki 2898 AD was dropped on Monday. Following the trailer's release, audiences drew parallels between Kalki's post-apocalyptic world and Hollywood movies like Dune and Mad Max: Fury Road. Despite several postponements and delays, the film, starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan, and Disha Patani, is set to release in theatres on June 27. Recently, Sung Choi, a South Korean concept illustrator and designer who has worked with Marvel Studios, Disney and Warner Bros, has accused the makers of Kalki 2898 AD of "copying" his artwork.

Sung Choi shared a collage on social media featuring his illustration and a still from the film's trailer, stating, “Unauthorised use of the artwork is a bad practice. This makes me question doing art in this lawless environment. @Kalki2898AD @VyjayanthiFilms #kalki2898ad.” The original illustration was published on his website, ArtStation, ten years ago.

Following Sung Choi's criticism, netizens supported the artist and condemned the production house. One user commented on Instagram, “I hope you pursue legal action if possible. This is awful.” Another person noted, “The whole trailer gives off the vibe of Epoch, Mad Max, Dune, and other films. A lot of designs from the trailer are ripped off from the Halo series and Death Stranding too. Idk how some of the concept designers who worked on the film can stay silent.”