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TheStar Warsfranchise is one of the biggest brands in the world, with a string of commercially successful films and tons of merchandise. As a result, it is only natural for creator George Lucas to want to protect the brand from potential infringement, especially during the 80s and the ’90s when the franchise was yet to reach its complete potential.
In the 1990s, Lucas famously filed a lawsuit against rapper Luther Campbell, better known by his stage name Uncle Luke. However, in the earlier stages of his career, Campbell went by a much different stage name, which seemed to be heavily inspired by the protagonist of Lucas’ films. Here is why Lucasfilm sued Campbell and the lawsuit’s outcome.
George Lucas Filed a Lawsuit Against Rapper Luther Campbell For Copyright Infringement
Rapper Luther Campbell gained fame for his music during the late 1980s and early 1990s. During this time, he was a part of the rap group 2 Live Crew. At the time, Campbell went by the stage name Luke Skywalker, which resulted inStar WarscreatorGeorge Lucasfiling a lawsuit against him in 1990.
Luke Skywalker is better known as the protagonist of the originalStar Warsmovie directed by Lucas and wasplayed by Mark Hamill. In an interview withVulture, Campbell denied taking inspiration for the name from the epic space opera film. Instead, he stated:
The only people who called me Luther were the government or teachers.
Campbell claimed that his stage name was inspired by his home name and the nickname of New York Knicks star Kenny “Sky” Walker. As a result, the rapper wasn’t bothered by the lawsuit and continued using it. He added:
My name is Luke Skywalker and I’m rapping about how I want some p**sy. How can anyone say that is infringing on a character in a movie that doesn’t feature any rap music?
From Campbell’s words, it is clear that the rapper did not believe he was committing any copyright infringement as there was no overlap between his music and the movies.
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However, as a precaution, Campbell changed his stage name to Luke Skyywalker and also named his record label Luke Skyywalker Records. Nonetheless, Lucasfilm persisted with the copyright infringement lawsuit which was later settled outside the court.
George Lucas Likely Feared Luther Campbell’s Music Could Tarnish HisStar WarsLegacy
During their peak, 2 Live Crew was primarily known for their provocative and vulgar music style. As a result, the brand misrepresentation that was formed because of one of its leading men using the stage name Luke Skywalker was the primary reason Lucasfilm pursued a legal angle.
In a conversation with LA Times, Lucasfilm’s lawyer Bertram Fields explained why the company had decided to sue Campbell, stating the following (viaVulture):
The trade name is worth hundreds of millions of dollars in licensing and the confusion could be very damaging to the company.
Fields added that the type of lyrics being used in Campbell’s songs was antithetical tothe type of character Luke Skywalker wasin the movies and the morals he was supposed to represent.
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Ultimately, the lawsuit wassettledin September 1990, with Campbell paying a $300,000 fine. He also agreed to quit using the name and refrain from using variations of the name trademarked by Lucasfilm in the future. As a result, Lucas was mainly concerned with Campbell tarnishing his character’s legacy because of the latter’s vulgar music.
TheStar Warsmovies are streaming on Disney+.
Pratik Handore
Content Writer
Articles Published :1772
With a keen interest in comic book movies and blockbuster franchises, Pratik usually covers news and updates on the DCU, MCU, Star Wars, and more.A die-hard fan of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Pratik spends most of his time exploring different storytelling mediums that invoke a sense of wonder and adventure. Other filmmakers whose works have deeply influenced him include Alfred Hitchcock, James Gunn, and Guillermo del Toro.
