Search
Latest News
Images
Features
Multimedia
Comlinks
Contact Us

Lucasfilm's lawsuit alleges that Osburn, High-Tech Magic and other defendants willfully infringed Lucasfilm's trademarks to manufacture and sell lightsaber replicas. Lucasfilm is requesting that the Court require the destruction of all infringing merchandise and that the defendants in the suit be held liable for damages and restitution for the profits they have realized from their unauthorized business.

"When companies like the defendant in this case try to make a profit by confusing fans and flagrantly violating our trademark rights, we have to take action," said Howard Roffman, President of Lucas Licensing. "We owe it to our fans -- as well as to companies like Hasbro and Master Replicas, which are producing excellent authorized toy and replica lightsabers -- to stop this type of unlawful behavior."

Lucasfilm's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, notes that the High-Tech Magic website prominently proclaims, "We do Light Sabres," (sic) and declares that they can produce "a Star Wars Lightsaber that looks as good as those in the movies." The site repeatedly uses Lucasfilm's registered trademarks, including "Lightsaber," "The Force," "Jedi" and "Darth Maul," in connection with Osburn's unauthorized products.

In October, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California awarded Lucasfilm $20 million in a copyright infringement case against U.K.-based Shepperton Design Studios, manufacturer and seller of pirated stormtrooper and other Star Wars helmets. Lucasfilm is seeking to uphold the court's verdict in England.

"As in the Shepperton case, we want to send a very clear message: We will do whatever it takes to shut down infringers trying to profit from the sale of knock-off Star Wars products." Roffman said.

Roffman underscored the distinction between fans who create Star Wars costumes and props for their personal enjoyment and people who produce, market and profit from allegedly "authentic" merchandise that is not authorized by Lucasfilm. "Fans making Star Wars costumes for themselves is great," he said. "Infringers making bootleg merchandise for profit will not be tolerated."

Star Wars Galaxies-Path to the Force-Episode 131

Be sure to check back later this week for the one-hundred and thirty-second episode of Star Wars Galaxies-Path to the Force. Then join us every week as we continue to follow the adventures of the Wookiee E'nac from the Star Wars Galaxies videogame in the form of Gamics!