A ruling has finally been rendered in the legal battle between LucasFilm and a prop designer in England who sells replicas of Star Wars costumes. The Force was not strong with LucasFilm:
A spokesman for Lucasfilm told the newspaper: “This ruling deals a significant blow to the copyright protection afforded not only to Star Wars but to every other great success of the cinematic arts, from Harry Potter to Dr Who and beyond.”
Mark Owen, from law firm Harbottle and Lewis, which acted for Lucasfilm said: “To say that you cannot retain copyright unless the object in question is by a renowned artist just seems wrong. Why should people be able to copy something?
The ruling is the latest twist in the legal battle which has been running since 2004 when Lucasfilm – which owns the Star Wars brand – first discovered Mr Ainsworth was selling the replica outfits.
The designer, from Twickenham, south-west London, was paid £35 each for making the 50 Stormtrooper helmets for Star Wars in 1976.
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