Lucasfilm is using the force of the legal system in an effort to shut down a school that offers lightsaber lessons.
The company behind the “Star Wars” juggernaut went into Death Star mode on Friday, filing a lawsuit against Oakland, California, man Michael Brown who, according to the suit does business under various names including New York Jedi, Lightsaber Academy, and Thrills and Skills.
According to the trademark infringement suit, filed in federal court in California, Brown’s companies offer “unauthorized ‘Lightsaber’ classes, which purport to teach students how to use ‘Lightsabers’ and/or perform as ‘Jedi.’”
That’s a no-no, the suit claims, as Lucasfilm owns the trademarks to things such as “Jedi Traning Academy,” “Jedi” and “Lightsaber.”
The suit also claims that Brown uses a logo “that is nearly identical, and confusingly similar, to Lucasfilm’s trademark Jedi Order logo.”
“Defendants’ unauthorized use of the Lucasfilm Trademarks constitutes the use of false or misleading designations of origins, and/or the making of false or misleading representations of fact,” the lawsuit reads.
TheWrap has reached out to Brown for comment.
Lucasfilm claims that Brown has “repeatedly sought license or authority from Lucasfilm” to use the trademarked material, only to be denied. The company also said it has served the defendants multiple notices to cease the alleged unauthorized activities.
The suit seeks unspecified damages, and a judgment prohibiting the defendants from infringing on Lucasfilms’ trademarks.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.