(PatriotWise.com) — The Walt Disney production company Lucasfilm has reportedly filed a suit against a carwash in Chile, accusing it of plagiarizing its “Star Wars” franchise, which the film company claims could lead consumers to believe the carwash is affiliated with the iconic film and television stories, Reuters reported.
The Star Wash carwash, located on the outskirts of Santiago, Chile’s capital, posted videos on social media that featured scenes of its attendants cleaning cars and mucking about while dressed as various “Star Wars” characters like Boba Fett, Chewbacca, an Imperial Stormtrooper, and Cassian Andor.
Lawyers representing Star Wash owner Matias Jara said as Jara was getting his brand registered with the INAPI, Chile’s patent authority, he received notice of a lawsuit from Lucasfilm.
The Disney-owned production company is seeking to block the patent registration, arguing that people might believe that the brand name for Jara’s carwash was somehow affiliated with the “Star Wars” franchise.
According to his lawyers, Jara is contesting the lawsuit. His lawyers contend that the name of his carwash is sufficiently different from the Lucasfilm franchise to avoid any confusion. Additionally, they argue that Lucasfilm’s copyright covers such products as furniture, toys, and non-alcoholic drinks but does not extend to carwashing services.
In a recent interview, Jara said the lawsuit is affecting his business. He explained that Star Wash is a small company, and the lawsuit has forced it to spend money on things that hadn’t been budgeted for.
According to Jara, the name of the car wash was thought up by his daughter while the family was visiting Walt Disney World’s Star Wars attraction.
He insisted that his company doesn’t sell “Star Wars” products, nor does it make any movies. He said the only link “Star Wash” has with the movie franchise is that its service is “stellar.”
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