Lucasfilm fiercely protects its intellectual property, with legal battles against companies like Verizon and Jedi Mind. George Lucas has also faced lawsuits, including a class action suit over employee pay. His proposed $1 billion museum in Chicago is facing opposition. “Star Wars” has generated billions in box office and other media profits.
It’s no secret that director George Lucas and his company, Lucasfilm, now owned by Disney, have fiercely protected their intellectual property since the release of the original “Star Wars” film in 1977. Step into that world futuristic and you can expect lawyers to strike back, whether it’s a President-touted national defense project, a new smartphone version of Verizon, or a small New York brewery.
Lucas and company won some and lost some. President Reagan was able to use the Star Wars moniker to promote his defense program in the 1980s, but Verizon caved in to the Force and paid a licensing fee for its Droid phone. Jedi Mind, a computer technology company, had to change its name to Mind Technologies, but a manufacturer of Star Wars props won the right to sell Stormtrooper helmets. And the battle continues including Dr. Dre, a movie called “Starballz” and holograms of Leia.
Read more about George Lucas and his legal ups and downs:
Lucas was also sued. In 2015, five engineers filed a class action suit against Lucasfilm and six other California high-tech companies, alleging a conspiracy to cap employee pay. The companies settled.
George Lucas is trying to build a private museum on Chicago’s lakefront, but he’s facing opposition — and a possible lawsuit — from open space advocates who say his $1 billion Lucas Museum of Narrative Art would violate laws. city ordinances.
The “Star Wars” movies have all been box office box office hits, with receipts in the billions. Then there is the universe of profit generated by other media: books, computer games, toys, comics, etc.
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