Lucasfilm Sues Lightsaber Academy For Trademark Infringement

This isn't the lawsuit they were looking for. According to THR, Disney and Lucasfilm have filed a lawsuit against Michael Brown, the operator of businesses like Lightsaber Academy and New York Jedi. The Lightsaber Academy, described as "a consortium of lightsaber practitioners with a culmination of 50 years experience of teaching various swordplay techniques," teaches customers core principles of fighting with lightsabers in a range of different methods, including for "Academic Form, Stage, and/or Dueling."

Disney is complaining about trademark infringement, and in part their suit says that Brown "regularly use[s] the Lucasfilm Trademarks without authorization in connection with their businesses." If you take a look at the logo on the top of the Lightsaber Academy website, it certainly looks familiar, and it's obvious that they're playing on iconography that belongs to Disney/Lucasfilm to entice customers and make their money. And from the sound of it, the Mouse House gave these guys a few chances to save themselves, but they didn't comply:

Lucasfilm says it has served multiple cease notices, and that the Brown has responded by filing a trademark application for "Lightsaber Academy, Inc."

The plaintiff now demands a permanent injunction, actual damages and profits, or alternatively, up to $2 million in statutory damages for each trademark infringed.

I'm sure Brown and the people at Lightsaber Academy are hoping that if Disney strikes them down, they shall become more powerful than they could possibly imagine, but the Force is strong with Disney's legal department, so we'll see how this shakes out. I'm guessing Brown and company will fold pretty quickly.