Amy Schumer's raunchy Star Wars GQ photos rile film's fans

Comedian Amy Schumer may be one of Hollywood's hottest commodities right now, but her brand of saucy comedy — namely, a raunchy Star Wars parody photo spread in GQ — has caused a major disturbance in The Force.

Promoting its new comedy issue this week, the high-profile American men's magazine hailed the Emmy-nominated Inside Amy Schumer star as "the funniest woman in the galaxy" and featured her on its cover in a sexually suggestive shot with Star Wars android C3PO.

Accompanying its feature article with Schumer, the magazine also boasts a suggestive and silly photo spread of her with additional costumed Star Wars characters and props, including Chewbacca, R2D2 and storm troopers.

Some passionate fans of the classic space saga have reacted negatively, demanding comment from Star Wars officials.

In online exchanges with fans and in statements to media outlets, representatives noted that rights owners Lucasfilm and Disney didn't approve the imagery or use of its characters.

"It's not surprising that GQ would want to capitalize on the cultural cachet of Star Wars, but Lucasfilm and Disney did not authorize, participate in or condone the inappropriate use of our characters in this manner," officials told entertainment industry magazine Entertainment Weekly.

Schumer's sketch and stand-up comedy show Inside Amy Schumer earned several notable Emmy nominations on Thursday, including a nod in the lead actress in a comedy series category as well as for best variety sketch series.

Incidentally, she is also on a promotional jaunt of her own this week: for her new film Trainwreck, which opens in theatres Friday.

Meanwhile, Star Wars: The Force Awakens – the first instalment of a wave of new Star Wars films – is due in theatres Dec. 18.