The iconic stormtrooper costumes from the Star Wars franchise are at the heart of a lawsuit being heard by the UK’s high court this week. One of the designers who helped create the costumes, Andrew Ainsworth, is being sued by George Lucas for £10m for making and selling replica costumes to collectors. Ainsworth is counter-suing for a piece of the pie that is the Star Wars empire.
According to reports, Ainsworth created the first thirty-five helmets for the original Star Wars back in 1976 and sold the first 50 to Lucas for £35 each. In 2004, Ainsworth found an original helmet in his home and began producing costumes for sales to fans.
“As far as I am concerned I am the original maker and I’m using the original molds,”” said Ainsworth.
A spokesman for Lucas Licensing said: “We would never want to discourage fans from showcasing their enthusiasm for the movies. However, anyone who tried to profit from using our copyrights and trademarks without authorization … we will go after them.”
A court in California has already ruled in favor of Lucas in the matter but because Ainsworth is UK citizen, the British high court will have to enforce the order.
Either that or George will have to call upon his old pal Darth Vader to look into this.
Doesn’t this guy realize that GEORGE is “The Maker?” I mean, hello. Besides, if George says, “They’re white and they look like this, go make them,” then George is the original creator. The “conceptual designer” if you will. Dumb guy. Doesn’t he know it’s called NOT FOR PROFIT. Dork.
Well now, that’s really going to depend on what role Ainsworth had in the “design”. If all he did was fabricate helmets from design drawings that were provided for him, then he has no leg.
But, if the “design” is his work, things get a lot cloudier. The story doesn’t give enough detail to make it clear. Of course, that’s why these things end up in court.
Day One Report
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article3708810.ece
It will all depend on any contracts that were signed or what deal had been made. Sounds like George has him on this one…
The defence’s case against Lucas is this:
“Mr Ainsworth’s legal team will claim that the copyright on the Stormtrooper’s form has expired because it was a piece of industrial design rather than a work of art”.
What planet is this guy on? Does he believe the Stormtrooper is for real and actually works to be under industrial rules of copyright. It is fiction, an art form that Lucas designed and worked on, this guy just molded the original ones for the movie. It would be like a seamstress taking credit for a fashion designer’s creations.
Yeah. I don’t really think the designer has a leg to stand on. Lucas should have this one in the bag.
LOOK, IF LUCAS WANTS THIS GUY TO STOP FROM SELLING AT LEAST HE SHOULD SELL THEM! %@#&^ SHOULD EITHER SELL OR LET OTHERS SELL!