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'Disney has become grossly violent': Fans fume as 'Andor' trailer shows unmodified AK-47 in wake of mass shootings

The trailer could prove problematic for Disney considering the recent mass shootings in Buffalo in New York, Uvalde in Texas, and Highland Park in Illinois

Disney is being blasted for featuring what looks like an unmodified AK-47 in its upcoming 'Star Wars' prequel series titled 'Andor'. A trailer for the series, which has 12 episodes, dropped on Monday, August 1, 2022. During an action scene in the video, one can see an unnamed character brandishing what appears to be the controversial rifle. Fans of the George Lucas sci-fi franchise have said that the inclusion of the weapon is not faithful to the 'Star Wars' universe. 

The weapon scene will also likely enrage gun reform campaigners, especially in the aftermath of various recent mass shootings. The 'Star Wars' prop teams have used real-life weapons as the basis for fictional munitions featured in the franchise in the past as well. However, this is the first time an unmodified real-life weapon has appeared on the screen. 'Andor' premieres on Disney+ on September 21, 2022. 

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Officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova, the AK-47 is a gas-operated assault rifle that was developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov. The recent trailer could prove problematic for Disney considering the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York; Uvalde, Texas; and Highland Park, Illinois. None of the suspects in these shootings used an AK-47 during the massacres, but they did use similar weapons. 

In May 2022, a racially motivated teen, Payton Gendron, gunned down ten people and injured three others at a Buffalo supermarket. The 18-year-old drove from "hours away" in Conklin, New York, to the Tops market on Jefferson Avenue. The shooting took place in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Eleven of the victims were Black and two of them were White. Gendron has pleaded not guilty.

Days later, a deadly massacre unfolded at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24 when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos barricaded himself inside a classroom and slaughtered 19 students and two teachers. Police faced sharp criticism for allegedly failing to stop the shooting quickly enough and come to the victims' rescue on time. Ramos was shot dead by an off-duty Customs and Border Protection agent from an elite tactical unit. 

A couple of months later, in July, Highland Park shooter Robert Crimo opened fire from a rooftop at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. Crimo has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder for a “premeditated and calculated attack", prosecutors said. He has been charged with seven murder counts, one for each of the victims he shot dead on Monday’s Fourth of July parade, Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart confirmed. If Crimo is convicted, the seven murder counts carry a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.

'An AK-47 in the first 10 seconds?'

Fans have slammed the 'Andor' trailer for its AK-47 scene. "The Andor trailer looks amazing. But was that an AK-47 in the first 10 seconds?" one user wrote on Twitter. "So just caught the trailer for andor... 1st few seconds in and wtf @starwars a guy carrying an ak-47.. what happened to the great props department lucas film had," another user said.

One user wrote, "Disney has become grossly violent with their subtlety forcing political bs into the story, throwing off the whole storyline. Fed up! Will pass from now on".

"Blasters in Star Wars have always been based on real world guns. Usually WWI/WW2 era weapons with modifications to make them look more in line with the aesthetic of ragtag rebels and outlaws. So it's funny that the Andor propmaster looked at an AK-47 and said 'no notes.'," one user said.

Another wrote, "Just now watching the #Andor trailer and... wait a minute, that's an AK-47 isn't it?" "Why's he just straight up rockin' and AK-47? Anyone.... Prop dept?" one user wrote.

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