Fans are pointing out the action-packed Wakanda-set finale in Avengers: Infinity War borrows heavily from Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace.
The first Star Wars prequel concludes with an epic battle in grassy fields that sees the Gungans engage in warfare against Trade Federation battle droids on Naboo, while Infinity War sees half of Earth's mightiest heroes teamed with the sprawling Wakandan army as they square off against the nondescript Outriders — an alien army who invade beneath a sky-high blue shield.
Both blockbusters have the opposing sides separated at first by a blue force field before engaging in combat, the war acting as a diversion from a more important plot point in the city: in Phantom Menace, a small team within the royal palace aims to keep the invaders from the city and thwart the plans of Trade Federation viceroy Note Gunray.
In Infinity War, Wakandan princess and genius inventor Shuri must find a way to remove the Mind Stone embedded within the head of synthetic android Vision — the last Infinity Stone needed to grant alien warlord Thanos unimaginable power.
Outside the palace walls, Black Panther and allies unite forces with Captain America, Bucky, Black Widow, Falcon, War Machine, and Bruce Banner (suited up in the massive Hulkbuster armor) to hold off the alien army in an attempt to keep them from reaching the palace — where the fate of the entire galaxy is on the line.
Twitter user @xanderflicks cheekily pointed out many of the similarities, with receipts, comparing Thanos herald Ebony Maw to Darth Maul, as they are both "strange looking enemies" who stab a wizard (Qui-gon Jinn and Doctor Strange).
Both films also see a young boy taking on a circular ship in the sky: in Phantom Menace, it's young budding pilot Anakin Skywalker. In Infinity War, teenage superhero Spider-Man tangles with a donut-shaped spaceship of his own when he hitches a ride on Thanos' Q-Ship.