Lucas Launches Lawsuit Over Jedi Mind's Tricks

[Siberian Relic]

I don't recall hearing about this last year, and I've been around the interwebs a few times, which seems to me that C&D was fairly low-key. Sort of a discreet tap on the shoulder. Given that, I don't blame Lucas one iota for stepping in personally.

Even with ownership aside, if you fought tooth and nail to get a passion project on film - a project that had absolutely no guarantee of being successful - and wound up becoming the highest grossing film and a cultural phenomenon.....wouldn't you be protective of what you put into it? I mean, Star Wars and Indiana Jones are essentially all Lucas can claim as his own (and only about 50% of Indy at that).

 

[Terramax]

Why would you even want such a product associated witha campy 70s movie?

 

[Woodsey]

Coming from people who made (what I assume to be) such an amazing device, they really are quite stupid.

And before this thread devolves into people bashing George Lucas for being "greedy", remember what he actually does with his money. He has every right to protect what is copyrighted (or whatever it is) to him, and he takes no issue with non-profiteering projects that technically infringe on that.

What does he do with his money?

http://uk.stars.ign.com/articles/111/1110726p1.html

He also gives to plenty of charities already.

 

[Sebenko]

Well, that was a pretty stupid idea. Calling it "Jedi Mind"? Did they think they'd just wave the lawyers away and say "you don't want to sue us."?

 

[mocruz1200]

i was going to come into this thread bashing george for bieng a greedy bastard, but when i read that they warned them 3 times i lost simpathy for them

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

Coming from people who made (what I assume to be) such an amazing device, they really are quite stupid.

I don't know...

this tidbit right here sounds rather more ignorant:
" the power to levitate objects"
Just trying to claim they have that little tidbit copyrighted indirectly just shows how much Mr. Lucas has fallen... no wonder 1-3 sucked... he probably is starting to think its all real...

Next thing you know, he'll be acting as his own lawyer, and try the Jedi Mind Trick on the judge...

And Rv, if that is the case, it should specifically be stated in that, just like Force Lightning is directly referenced when talking about energy from the fingertips.

"all characteristics associated with the Jedi knights not memorialized in a registered trademark ... (including) Jedi robes, the lightsaber weapon, the power to levitate objects, a telepathic oneness with other Jedi and the universe, and the ability to shoot energy beams called 'Force Lightning' from the fingertips."

The part in bold is the key... Associated with the Jedi Knights, not in general

 

[gl1koz3]

Calling it "Jedi Mind" is so dumb it's funny.

 

[Mercsenary]

Jedi Mind.

THERE'S NO WAY THERE'S COPY INFRINGEMENT>

 

[ryukage_sama]

Best free advertising EVER!!!

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

Really honestly because they named it like that and they are almost done developing a great piece of tech Geroge decides to throw a hissy fit.

Its almost like back when the first car was invented someone dissalowwed it because it involved a wheel of theirs that could have made it ground breaking.

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

You know, Nobody's perfect:

that's my answer.

 

[FaceFaceFace]

I assume they only claim copyright on levitation and shooting lightning when it is said to be caused by "The Force." I hope, at least.

 

[obisean]

Just do the name in Pig Latin: Edijay Mind.

 

[ManiacRaccoon]

As much as that company seems like its doing it on purpose, I think George Lucas needs to calm down. He should buy the company and lend his money to make their stuff better, then he can churn out a trio of sequels that come directly from a good writers mind via neural interface, without all that messy editing getting in the way and making something stupid. Also, making a retroactive copyright on a term that has been part of popular culture for several decades seems kind of greedy, not to mention he's going to have a hard time making claims that he thought up levitation stick.

Shoulda thought of this before, really. If he had done it in the first place and been nice about it, he could've been like Band-Aids. They get free advertising because everyone has to think a little longer about the term "adhesive medical strips" unless it's done for comedic effect. And you still get to charge money for people to say it on TV, but without all those nasty lawsuits. Odds are, anyone who uses the word Band-Aid somewhere without permission didn't know them by any other name, it's the perfect scheme.

In fact, lets see if we can find any of the people who made all those old samurai and western films and get them to sue Lucas, that'd be fun to watch.

You know, Nobody's perfect:

that's my answer.

Wait, we were supposed to get two of those? Crap.

 

[Vilcus]

When I make my first lazer sword I'm going to call it the "Luminescent Katana" because it'll be funny to see them try to launch a lawsuit, only to realize that I've created a physical item, and they only have a copywrite on things associated with Jedi, and this would only look similar, but would be entirely different. Also they only hold a copywrite on the imaginary item and its name. Once I create it they'll have no claim, as they would not be able to make one themselves. I'll then stand there laughing at them. I would also get millions of scientists contacting me to figure out how the hell I created a sustainable lazer based close quarters weapon.

 

[Weaver]

What the hell were these people thinking?
There's no way they couldn't have seen this coming.

 

[ManiacRaccoon]

What the hell were these people thinking?
There's no way they couldn't have seen this coming.

They were thinking "You know what? I'm bored making neurological interfaces, what do we do with all this extra money?" "We could purposefully get involved in a lawsuit that will cost millions with someone we have no doubt will sue us for the cash." "Hey, yeah! But who has that much money and is that big a jerk..."

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]