[jconley]

I have had similar experiences with the Disney IP teams. They mean serious business in all directions, from protecting IP to ensuring they are not infringing. They make sure everyone in the company or affiliated is very aware of IP issues. If the painting is indeed the original work and it somehow found its way onto some merchandise, I'm sure Disney will be amicable.

[madaxe]

Amicable like they were over simba the white lion?

Disney rip-off left, right and centre. Yes, they aggressively protect their IP, but that doesn't mean they won't trample all over everyone else's. they have a history of this behaviour.

[aidenn0]

I've heard the kimba/simba thing before, but don't see it myself. Simba is the swahili word for lion, the plots are not at all similar and they don't look anything alike:

http://theafictionado.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/lionking46...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bd/ReallyKimbaThe...

[sdoering]

Well. OK; they really do not look alike. ;-) I have no idea, how far the stories match up, but coming from a literature background, I can only say, that a lot of stories are a lot alike, when they tell anything in the same genre.

I mean, look at a lot of forensic women in thrillers. But that is just meant as a bit background-info on literature. There is even a "scientific" way of saying, some (very) old author copied from someone else:

Intertextuality: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertextuality

But as a side-note: Don't the ears of the white lion remind anyone of Mickey Mouse? Just saying... ;-)

[axx]

"But as a side-note: Don't the ears of the white lion remind anyone of Mickey Mouse? Just saying... ;-)"

* Mickey Mouse: First appearance - Steamboat Willie (1928)

* Kimba The White Lion: [..]Kimba the White Lion, is an anime series from the 1960s. Created by Osamu Tezuka and based on his manga of the same title which began publication in 1950

[Osmium]

There's some more info here:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1378/did-disneys-em...

I wanted to link to another article, but can't find it right now, but it had a comparison of specific shots that were alleged to have been plagiarised. I remember it being quite striking, but these things are usually in the eye of the beholder.

Regardless, on the general point, for those who believe in "remix" culture there's nothing ethically wrong with this kind of direct inspiration provided credit is given where it is due.

[datagramm]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that the Lion King is basically just an adaptation of Hamlet...

[pyre]

Were there "mysterious" injuries during production though?

[jayfuerstenberg]

Yes KIMBA, err.. I mean SIMBA.