A plagiarism debate is centered on a poster promoting the release of the Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time movie on Chinese streaming services. Fans of the 2009 movie Where the Wild Things Are posted comparison images of the Where the Wild Things Are poster by Nico Delort and the poster by Chinese artist Huang Hai on social media.
Here’s a side-by-side of the two works together:
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Delort was made aware of this information and remarked that the art “didn’t lift my style they actually sampled my Where the wild things are poster and clone-stamped the clouds ..” The artist also commented that he did not authorize the use of his work when asked by another Twitter user.
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According to the official Evangelion Twitter accounts in Japan and China, the disputed poster was taken down. The visual was independently produced in China, according to the Twitter account, and neither Studio Khara nor the film’s primary cast was directly involved in the creation of the poster. A direct apology from the Beijing ZhuYe Culture Studio was published a few hours later. The team incorporated elements without the artist’s consent, according to the agency, and the poster was released to the public without the necessary checks in place. The team added that they have spoken to Delort and are seeking to recompense.
Delort also tweeted that they are working on a private solution with the distributor.
Numerous Chinese and foreign films, including My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Star Wars, have had posters designed by Huang Hai and his Beijing ZhuYe Culture Studio design firm. His artwork served as advertising for Spirited Away’s initial theatrical debut in China, where it was screened and went on to gross 195 million yuan (about 3 billion yen or US$28.36 million) in its opening weekend.
Nico Delort is a freelance illustrator based in Paris who specialized in black-and-white scratchboard art. They have created official posters for a variety of movies, videogames, including Batman Returns, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
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