Story highlights Poster for new Chinese animation resembles Pixar's "Cars"

Director says animation is original and he has never watched "Cars"

Disney, which owns Pixar, says it shares movie goers' concerns

Beijing (CNN) Is this poster promoting the Chinese edition of animated movie "Cars"? No. But some say it's a knock-off.

Critics and disappointed movie goers say a newly-released Chinese animation is a copy of Pixar's hit film franchise, but the filmmaker and production company have denied the accusations, insisting it is "independently produced" and an "original" film.

"I know of the movie 'Cars', but I have never seen it. I don't even know the names of its characters," Zhuo Jianrong, director of the movie and executive director of the film production company, said when reached by CNN.

In the movie poster of "The Autobots," released in theaters on July 4, the race car protagonist closely resembles that in the 2006 and 2011 "Cars" movies. The Chinese title of the movie is similar too to that used by "Cars."

Disappointed and angry viewers took to the Internet, saying the movie "shamelessly" copied "Cars".

Read More