Maybe Lucas doesnt have enough money. Maybe the recent “not-special” edition releases of the original uncut trilogy are not selling well enough. (Most retail chains still have overstock of this limited time release – so much for the fans outcry for these releases) or maybe George just really doesnt like anyone else playing in his sandbox.
M&C Movies says:
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has awarded Lucasfilm Ltd. $20 million in damages in a copyright infringement and unfair competition case against the British firm Shepperton Design Studios and its owner, Andrew Ainsworth.
The court found that Shepperton Design Studios had been marketing unlicensed copies of Stormtrooper helmets and costumes, and TIE fighter pilot helmets from the Star Wars films, as well as making misleading claims about the authenticity and origins of these items.
The Judgment, by U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner, awards damages to Lucasfilm Ltd. for copyright infringement, unfair competition and trademark infringement and permanently bars Shepperton Design Studios from copying, reproducing, importing, licensing, marketing or displaying any of its unauthorized Star Wars products in the United States.
Its probably more accurate that George DOES like people playing in his sandbox. In fact he encourages and revels in it. He loves people enjoying his creation and I don’t blame him.
What he doesnt like is someone thinking they can cash in big time selling his toys. Clearly for a court to issue this much in damages, this company must have made a significant pile of coin for Lucas to even bother. I wonder if this company even made close to the $20million they were sued for?
I do like how Lucas is not backing down one bit on this. I actually applaud this. He won the case, likely bankrupted Shepperton, and stopped him from continuing to sell these fruadulent replicas in the US. But thats not all! He is pushing for the UK government to stop him from continuing to sell these items there as well!
Now I have to go delete my ebay auction for the Star Wars Holiday Special DVD.
