Allu Arjun–Atlee’s film draws flak over similarities with Dune’s poster

The recently released poster of AA22, an upcoming sci-fi action film starring Allu Arjun and directed by Atlee, has sparked a plagiarism debate on social media. Shared by production house Sun Pictures, only to mark six million views on the announcement video, the poster quickly drew attention for its resemblance to promotional material from the 2021 Hollywood film Dune.

Netizens highlighted visual similarities in the layout, colour palette, and desert-themed aesthetic. Several posts featured side-by-side comparisons of the posters, with some questioning the originality of the design.

This is not the first time director Atlee has faced such allegations. In a 2023 interview, he addressed criticism of similarities in his previous film, Jawan, stating, “In the creative field, you end up making similar stories. That doesn’t mean I copy them. It can be inspired too.”

AA22 is described as a large-scale sci-fi action film, with the announcement video indicating collaboration with Hollywood VFX teams. Atlee has called the project his “dream film” and acknowledged the support of actor Allu Arjun and producer Kalanithi Maran. Reportedly, the film's music is composed by Sai Abhyankkar. The full cast is yet to be announced, and filming is expected to begin soon.