Disney and Lucasfilm Sue Fan-Run Lightsaber Academy Over Star Wars Trademarks

It seem like the Force is with one of the world’s most popular Jedi training facilities. Last week, news broke that the first Lightsaber Academy from Michael Brown would be coming to the U.S. after his flagship schools opened to great success. However, those plans are now being challenged by none other than Lucasfilm who is suing the company for trademark violations.

Lucasfilm filed a lawsuit against Michael Brown, the operator of businesses such as New York Jedi, the Lightsaber Academy, and Thrills and Skills. The studio is taking Brown to court over his prolific trademark infringements seen on the website for Lightsaber Academy.

“Defendants regularly use the Lucasfilm Trademarks without authorization in connection with their businesses,” Lucasfilm states in their suit. “Among other infringing activities, Defendants use a logo that is nearly identical, and confusingly similar, to Lucasfilm’s trademark Jedi Order logo…round in shape, with six wing-like shapes curving upward (three per side), and an eight-pointed star featuring elongated top and bottom points stretched into a vertical line.”

According to the studio, they have serves several cease notices. However, Lucasfilm indicates that the notices went ignored and that Brown responded by filing a trademark request for ‘Lightsaber Academy Inc.’ Now, the studio is seeking damages from Brown to the tune of two million dollars for each trademark infringement.

Of course, this lawsuit has led some to wonder whether the studio may have plans for an official Jedi school in the future. The Star Wars franchise already has a Jedi Academy at several Disney theme parks, and a recent patent filing from the Big Mouse is teasing fans with an all-new lightsaber experience.

In a report, i09 pointed out that Disney had filed for a lightsaber patent that can deflect lasers. Now, users won’t actually be in danger of getting singed by plasma beams or whatnot. The patent uses LED sensors to fire back ‘lasers’ shot by training bots seen in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and Attack of the Clones.

While it’s a long-shot, there’s always a chance that Lucasfilm could come to settlement with Lightsaber Academy. If not, there’s always another option. LudoSports will be opening their own (non-trademarked) academy for lightsaber enthusiasts in San Francisco. The founders mix swordplay with martial arts to create their distinctive lessons and even offer seven different forms of lightsaber combat: Makashi, Soresu, Shii-cho, Ataru, Niman, Djem-so, and Vaapad. However, membership to the program can be a bit pricey, so it’s up to you to decide whether the training is worth your time.

[H/T] Hollywood Reporter