Mark Chao and Deng Lun’s New C-movie Yin Yang Master Criticized for Visual Effects Plagiarism of Dr. Strange and Naruto, May be Pulled From Theaters
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The hits keep on coming for Chinese director and screenwriter Guo Jingming, best known for his Tiny Times novels and movie adaptations. Recently he published a formal apology to writer Zhuang Yu for plagiarizing her novel 17 years ago, which he was sued and lost but never formally apologized back then. His new movie the fantasy wuxia Yin Yang Master with Mark Chao and Deng Lun opened in theaters on Christmas day 2020 and since then has been trolled and raked through the coals by C-netizens for visual effects that is a clear copy of the concept and imagery from Dr. Strange and Japanese manga Naruto. Seeing it side by side it’s hard to deny. It’s a bummer for Mark and Deng Lun and the entire cast because the visual effects similarities are not their fault, but the movie is now facing early pulling from theaters as well as low box office. It never ceases to amaze me how people think they can get away with unoriginality these days with the speed of netizens and the power of googling.
“…which he was sued and lost…“
As in the writer sued him and lost? And he didn’t apologize or compensate her then? Why is he apologizing now?
I’m not surprised people think they can get away with it. A lot do get away with it. With the help of fans (and hotshot lawyers) who bully the original creator and throw out stuff like “inspiration“ and “this version is worlds better than the original” and “if it’s out there, it’s free for all.“
But to blatantly plagiarize from two well-known works… hmm.
There was recently an industry boycott on him and another screenwriter (Yu Zheng) who is also quite famous for plagiarizing. It is likely why they are both apologizing now. The boycott has gained quite a bit of press as many people in the television and film industries have spoken out against these two.
Goodness. I’m not familiar with C-ent and its players but it sounds like they’ve been getting away with it for a long time. Good thing they’re getting their comeuppance now. But who knows if this boycott will reaaaaally affect them.
For the others I agree (sasuke’s eyes pattern and circle around hand when practicing), except for the circle (the small picture one) to move place/open space/cut dimension? (I hope it makes sense), I mean I just look at the picture here, not the whole video, if the actors hands movement are the same as the way dr. Strange to open the other place, then agree it’s plagiarism. But if the only thing that’s the same is circle and people can go through it to move to other place, is it plagiarism? I think I remember a movie where the character flicked his stick with horse tail then a circle appeared and then he moved to other place, same concept.
Unfortunate for the team and cast but the boycott is well deserved.
There’s this quote I like: “What got you here, won’t get you there”
Just because he got away with plagiarism and lack of integrity to get to where he is now, doesn’t mean he can keep using the same dirty tactics to get further.
It has been pulled from theatres and Netflix. Good.
I don’t think it consider low box office when it made over RMB450Million for that 10 days it was showing even with limited screens due to boycotted.